Fictionista Workshop's Daily Witfit 2011 JanApril
by Rochelle Allison
Summary: Fictionista Workshop's Daily Witfits. Brand new set for the new year.
1. beginning

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

rated M

prompts - beginning, hopeful

* * *

It had been one of those weird nights.

Hopeful initially. Resigned eventually. Kind of a sour feeling.

Bella hadn't meant to have expectations; they'd just formed on their won. In fact, she hadn't realized she'd had any until they hadn't been met.

So here she was, tired and vaguely hung over, waiting for the bus in the too bright bleached out sunlight.

Even though she had a car.

The bus pulled up, eventually. Bella didn't know if it was on time or not. She simply got on and sat down.

There weren't that many people on the bus. Probably because it was New Year's Day. Perhaps more businesses were closed, more people home.

Bella watched closely for her stop, not too familiar with the bus route. She made her way to the front, mumbled goodbye to the driver, and got off.

Walked four blocks south.

Alice's car was parked beside hers in the driveway.

The house smelled like lavender cleaning stuff and burnt-oil-pancake-something.

"Hey." Bella dropped on to the couch, careful to leave her shoes by the door. Alice was mopping…Swiffering...whatever.

"Hey!" Alice appeared. She looked concerned. And tired, like Bella. "What happened last night? I didn't see you after…"

She didn't finish; she didn't have to.

Bella sighed, putting her feet up. She should help Alice clean the house. It would help to focus on things other than last night and him.

"Did you stay with Edward?" Alice prodded, cocking her head in expectation.

Bella shrugged, and nodded.

"But…?"

"But when I woke up he was gone. And so was his car. And so was my ride."

Yes, waking up in Edward's brother's girlfriend's house had been even lamer than it sounded.

"Did you guys –"

"No."

"Oh." Alice looked relieved. She came closer and sat down, wedging the Swiffer between her knees.

Bella swallowed, disliking the way that morning's vulnerability was creeping back in. "Still."

"Yeah. That's just… I'm surprised," Alice said.

"Me too."

"So tell me, from the beginning. What happened?" Alice brushed her hair from her eyes. Her hair was short and her ponytails always fell loose. "You guys went outside to talk?"

"Sort of. I mean, I followed him outside. He was in a bad mood. Something crappy at work earlier," Bella said, trying to explain even though she needed explanations of her own.

"Was he drunk?" Alice asked.

"Just drinking. Like me." Bella paused, frowning. "He finally started talking after a while… and then it was just like before. Easy. Midnight hit and he kissed me, like really kissed me."

"Did you kiss him back?"

"What do you think?"

"So, you guys were kissing…"

"And then he acted like he had to go. I would've let him go, even though it was early, but he asked if I wanted to come. That's when I texted you to say I was leaving."

Alice nodded. "I thought maybe you were coming home. I didn't know if you were sick… or bored…"

"I was a little bored, but I would've stayed if he hadn't asked..."

"So you left."

"We left…went to this girl Rose's house. I guess Emmett's with her. They were leaving when we showed up, but they let us in and said we could stay."

This is where things got even weirder for Bella. For as long as she had known Edward, and as many false starts and good times and bad times and conversations and kisses as they'd had, sometimes she felt like she really didn't know him at all. She wished she didn't care for him the way she did. Sometimes it felt like it was poisoning her, the not knowing, the hoping, the wanting, the back and forth.

"I wanted to talk… but he kissed me and then things went from there."

Alice nodded knowingly. "Did he –"

"Yeah."

"Was it good?"

Bella warmed, and chuckled at Alice's shiny eyed mischief.

"Yeah."

"And then you fell asleep?"

"Yes. And woke up alone. I didn't even know what street I was on."

"What a dick."

Bella stood up. "Did you just start mopping?"

"I'm almost done."

"What needs to be done?"

"Dishes."

* * *

_back for the new year, whoot._

_i plan to do these every night except for sunday (our "day off") and tuesday (that's when i post starry eyed inside, and i prefer to focus on that, for that day.) there might even be mondays i don't post a witfit for that same reason; because i'm working on SEI._

_much love._


	2. Countdown

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted_  
_ without their express written authorization._

these are never beta'd by the way. not supposed to be. that said, should you see an error, feel free to tell me...

**Word Prompt**: Countdown

**Scenario**: The time is counting down to the New Year. Confetti twirls around you. Your champagne glass is full, your best friend is making out with some guy you don't know, and you're alone tonight. As the countdown reaches ten seconds, someone catches your eye. He or she makes his or her way through the crowded room. Nine… Eight…

* * *

Ugh. She always does this.

I doubt she _means _to, but she does. Boys are attracted to the fair Alice as bees are to honey. It isn't that she's the hottest tamale in town – although she is quite, _quite_ cute – it's that she's got this sweet, welcoming, flirty aura. I'm more closed off, I guess. Perhaps it's my face; maybe it's bitchy.

And so, like Alice doesn't mean to invite them in, I don't mean to shut them out. I just do.

I glance again at the blond haired Romeo in the corner, twirling his fingers through Alice's glamor curls. She's all done up in a flapper theme tonight, not overdone like a costume, but subtlesexy. They're kissing again. I'm both grossed out by her/their lack of inhibition and jealous by their connection.

Confetti and glitter float down from unseen sources; the ceiling lit and made to look like a night sky. It's a swankier spot than usual for us, and everyone is dressed to the nines. Even me. I eye the glitter collecting on my décolletage, knowing my bed will be covered in it later.

Suddenly someone yells "ten!"

The countdown begins, picking up vocal momentum as it descends. I mouth the numbers but I don't really say them. I hate being alone. I don't begrudge Alice her little happinesses, but I do resent her for leaving me alone, once again, especially here, where we know no one.

"Three…"

But then I see him; I've seen him before. Like me, he is all in black and there is glitter and confetti in his hair. Even from where I stand I can see that his eyelashes are so-long, and I wonder briefly if the glitter has stuck on them, too.

My mouth is justbarely open, probably from when I faked saying "two". He stops in front of me and I know him, I do. We met on a train one night, coming back from the city. There had been nowhere else to sit, so I'd offered him the spot beside me. I'd never seen anyone as pretty as him and the thought of never seeing him again burned enough that I'd spoken up.

It didn't matter; after that I night I never did see him again anyway. Despite the frenetic shiver between us and the subdued-excited chatter, we'd neglected to exchange numbers. It had been late, so late, and I was exhausted and he'd been too and my stop appeared suddenly, so suddenly I'd nearly missed it.

The room explodes in to cheers and, impossibly, more glitter. I wonder absently if anyone has ever died from glitter inhalation. "Auld Lang Syne" oozes sentimentally from the bandstand. This man's eyes are even greener that I remember.

He isn't even smiling when he reaches out and takes my hands, when he pulls me closer and very brazenly kisses me.

Thank God.

Alice chooses now to call my name and I pull away from the best kiss of my life. He doesn't blink, doesn't look surprised. Alice calls for me again, and I love her but I swear to God I wish her mouth was still attached to Blond Guy's.

I pull Green Eyes, Black Tux with me, around a corner, to where it is quieter and void of people. He looks like he's going to talk to me and damn it we did that on the train and look where it got us. I kiss him this time, crushing him to my body, lacing my fingers 'round the back of his neck so he leans down to reach better.

He kisses back, with tongue this time, and Alice's voice, which has followed us to the quiet place, ceases.

"What's your name?" he whispers, eyes closed, forehead resting against mine.

"Bella," I whisper back, staring at him from thisclose and he's _still so fine._

"I'm Edward," he says, and straightens up.

"I'm glad you're here," I say.

He nods, and finally smiles at me. "I'm glad you're here," he echoes.

"Bella?" Alice is timid now.

I look over at her. Blond Guy is behind her, his tall and lanky dwarfing her petite and tiny.

"Are you…" she trails off, speechless for once.

"Come with me," Edward says, just for me, his lips at my ear.

"I'll call you," I say to Alice, giving her a quick kiss. "Promise."

She nods, puzzled and then smiling.

Outside, it is icycold. Edward opens my door for me and hurries to the driver's side.

"I can't believe I found you," he admits, turning the heat on.

"I know," I say, and it's this sacred, hallowed moment, realizing that maybe things like fate do exist and maybe we were supposed to meet, not just once but twice. Randomly, but not.

We pull up to what must be his house, and he turns to me.

"I… I don't really do this… and I don't want you thinking I brought you here for sex. I just saw you tonight and I didn't feel like losing you again."

He is so upfront and honest, his words so naked, that it startles me. I nod dumbly, trying to come up with the best response until I realize that he's said just what I feel.

"Me too. All of it," I blurt, glad that night cloaks even the darkest of blushes.

He grins, and gets out of the car.

Inside is a blur. Shoes off, shawl, purse by his bed. We try to talk but kiss instead. He kisses so good, hard and thorough and sure and sweet.

When I wake up in the morning, there is in fact glitter, all over the bed, and confetti too. But it's his bed, not mine, and i bleary -eyed think about the moments that got me here, glad there is nothing to regret.

He's asleep, fully clothed as am I. I remember his hands, how I wanted them everywhere but was glad when he didn't try.

I turn to get up and feel his fingers wrap around my arm.

"Don't go."


	3. Laugh

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitte without their express written authorization.

not beta'd.

**Word Prompt: Laugh**

**Dialogue Flex: "Did you do this?" he asked.**

* * *

He'd left the pink boxers.

Whether he'd done it on purpose or by mistake, I didn't know, but it hurt all the same.

I supposed I'd known it was coming to this. Things hadn't been right for awhile. When he said he'd been offered a position a couple of states away, I knew then that it was the end for us.

It would've been convenient had my feelings mirrored his on this, but they just didn't. Being in an unhealthy relationship with Edward was rough, but not having him at all was almost impossible.

He hadn't even allowed me to drive him to the airport. Jasper had come at six this morning, throwing apologetic glances my way as he'd loaded the trunk with Edward's suitcases. We'd already forwarded the other boxes and things to Edward's new address. I didn't allow myself to even see them to the door. We said goodbye in the kitchen, while I cooked eggs in denial.

Technically, we were already broken up.

Broken up and living together. We'd been dating since high school, so it wasn't all that weird to share space with him even under such circumstances. Yeah, my heart was broken, but at least he was still around. I knew he still loved me, even if it was no longer enough. I guessed I was still hoping he'd change his mind and stay.

Stay in town. Stay with me.

I didn't know how to fix our broken, but I was willing to try. Edward was tired of trying.

I blinked, realizing I'd been standing in the same place for twenty minutes, holding those stupid boxers.

They hadn't always been pink.

_I was sitting in bed, clicking away on my laptop, when Edward walked in._

"_Did you do this?" he asked, holding up a pair of pink boxers._

_It took me a minute, but then I realized a pair of his white ones must have made it in to the same load of laundry as the red sheets. Covering my mouth, I choked back a laugh._

"_I thought so," he said, chucking them at me._

"_I'm sorry!" I gasped, wondering what else had been in that load._

"_Yeah, you'll be sorry all right," he said, taking the computer from my lap._

_Tickling turned in to kissing, which turned in to other things._

The phone rang, snapping me out of my daze.

I tossed Edward's boxers back in to the drawer and crossed the room to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella. Um… I got in a couple of hours ago. I'm still settling in. Just wanted to call and let you know."

My heart sank. Hearing his voice just… hurt.

"Okay," I said brightly.

He knew me, though, because he sighed. "Are you all right?"

_No_, I wanted to say. _How can I be all right when you're there and I'm here?_

"I'm fine," I said quietly, giving up on sounding fine. It took too much energy, and he could obviously tell when I was faking.

The only thing worse than silence between two people is silence over the phone.

"Bella?"

"Yeah."

"I'll um, I'll call tomorrow."

"Don't."

"Bella."

"Just… go settle in, Edward. I'll talk to you later."

I hung up without waiting for him to answer.


	4. Longing

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

not beta'd

**storyline - Countdown**

**Word Prompt: Longing**

* * *

I twisted to look at him, my heart doing flip flops in my chest.

"Okay."

He smiled sleepily up at me, now tugging at my arm.

Running my fingers self consciously through my hair, I paused, and patted his hand. "Just… let me use the bathroom real quick."

I knew where it was; I'd gone the night before at some point. Edward's house wasn't big, but it was impeccable. It looked to me like he had some sort of housekeeping service; I'd never seen a guy that clean and neat. Shoot,_ I_ wasn't even that clean and neat.

And besides, it looked like he might have money. It was subtle, but… quite likely.

I stared at myself in the mirror as I washed my hands, wincing at the smudged mascara and bird's nest that was now my hair. I didn't have an emergency rubber band or anything; I never did things like this.

When I returned to the bedroom, Edward was sitting up.

"Are you…okay?"

A dull ache of longing squeezed through me. He was perfect, too perfect. I wondered what the catch was.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him, slipping back beneath the covers. "This is a _really _comfortable bed, by the way."

"I know," he chuckled. "Makes it hard to get up." He scooted down so he was lying down again, stretched out beside me. He gazed intently at me, reaching out to trace his fingertips along my cheek.

It was a little awkward, seeing we really didn't know one another, yet it felt right. Had I gone home the night before, I would have been thinking about him nonstop. Already I felt my heart expanding, and I suspected there would be an empty place when I finally left Edward's presence.

I tangled my legs with his, and he drew me closer in response.

"This is so weird," he said, an almost incredulous look on his face. "I don't want you to go _anywhere."_

Shaky giddiness rushed through me.

"I don't want you to go anywhere, either," I admitted. It was nice to be able to say the things I felt as a result of Edward setting the tone this way. He was so blunt, so unabashed. I'd never met anyone like him. Well, except for Alice.

Which reminded me…

"I should text Alice," I said, dragging my gaze from his mouth. "Before she worries."

He nodded, hardly letting go as I stretched to retrieve my bag from the floor.

Alice texted back promptly, saying she was glad for me. I suspected she may have spent the night with Golden Boy, and didn't bother her with any more messages.

"Do you have to be anywhere today?" Edward asked.

"No," I said softly, cuddling closer.

He smiled and kissed me, gradually rolling me from my side to my back. "Good," he said after a minute.

"Tell me," I breathed, burying my fingers in his hair as he went down to my neck. "Why you were on the train that night…"

"Didn't feel like driving," he answered, his voice muffled by my skin.

"Oh," I gasped. I'd have continued the conversation, but his lips and tongue felt so good it was hard to make words.

He finally returned to my mouth, and I was relieved. The connection I felt to him was alarmingly intense; I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so attracted to someone. I wouldn't sleep with him, not yet, but it would be so difficult to resist if he tried to go further. I'd have a hard time denying him.

Because I was falling fast for this guy, and I didn't even know his last name.


	5. Heart

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

not beta'd

**Word Prompt**: Heart

*this storyline will also be known as _Crystal Beachin'. _

* * *

It was going to be a-friggin-mazing.

Three months in tropical paradise or whatever? Yes please and thank you, Bella thought, humming while she shaved. She squinted, making sure not to leave any patches. Nothing worse than frolicking on the beach with hairy legs. Although, come to think of it, she hadn't spent much time on beaches in her life.

Forks could be lovely in the summer, but for the most part it was so darn dreary and gray. Bella loved rain as much as any Washingtonian, but she was read for a switch up.

So when Rose had called the week before and said they'd gotten the jobs in Florida, Bella could scarcely believe her luck.

She and her two BFFs had just graduated high school, and would now spend the summer in Destin, Florida, working as waitresses at a beach side restaurant owned by Rose's Aunt Claire. Rose had done a little traveling in her day, but Alice and Bella had never been further east than the Mississippi.

(Actually, Bella hadn't even been that far.)

No sooner had she emerged from the shower, her phone began ringing in earnest.

Damn Alice and her rap ring tones. No matter how many times Bella switched the songs, Alice came behind her and adjusted them to suit her more…urban tastes.

"Hey girl!" she squealed, for once on the same page as Alice, emotionally.

"Hi!" Alice squealed back. "You just about ready?"

Bella laughed, rolling her eyes. Alice had been packed for days.

"Pretty much. Just getting dressed now."

"Well, hurry up. Rose is going to be there in like, five seconds."

"Then lemme get off the phone," Bella said.

"Kay! Bye!"

Alice must have been psychic or something, because seconds later Rose called. "I hope you're ready because I'm pulling up now."

"I'm…almost ready," Bella grunted, trying to pull on a pair of shorts with one hand. "Just…come up when you get here!" She clicked off before Rose could harass her and finished getting dressed.

Despite the frantic pace of the morning, the three girls were in the sunniest of moods as Rose's father drove them to Sea-Tac Airport.

They chattered incessantly in the car, the airport, on the plane, and finally, in Florida.

"Oh, my goodness… that was the longest trip of my life," Rose groaned as they teetered from exhaustion near baggage claim.

Because they had left that morning and gone east, they'd crossed through several time zones. Bella's internal clock was all messed up. It was night time now, and she was ready to drop in to the nearest bed and pass out..

"Rose?" A voice called. "Is that you, honey?"

The girls turned to see a tall, tanned blonde approaching them with a huge smile on her face.

"Hi, Aunt Claire!" Rose cried, hugging the older woman.

"I can't believe you're finally here!" Claire said, squeezing Rose tightly. "Bella, Alice – welcome. You girls have loads of luggage, I'm sure…"

"Yes, we do," Alice said brightly. "And thank you so much for having us come... we're beyond excited!"

Bella grinned, too tired to do much more. "Yes, thank you."

"Psh." Claire waved them off. "I'm going to grab one of those guys with the cart thing to help with the bags. Stay here."

Eventually everything was loaded into Claire's disturbingly huge SUV. Or, as she called it, her SAV – Suburban Assault Vehicle. She explained it came in handy when dealing with groceries or last minute things she needed for the restaurant. Destin was about fifty miles from the airport in Panama City, but Claire spoke the entire time about all of the fun things there were to do over the summer.

Bella started to doze. Alice shook her awake when they reached the neighborhood where the beach house was located.

Bella drew in a quick breath. Even in the dark, the houses were gorgeous.

"This one is called Crystal Beachin'," Claire said, pulling in to the driveway of a large, two story house. "We're friends with the owners, so we got a great deal."

"It's…huge," Bella said, getting out.

"Yes, well, normally it's for much larger groups but… you know. Only the best for Rosie and her friends," Claire gushed.

The house really was lovely, all bright colors and wide open spaces, huge windows and a pool in the back. It was, in a nutshell, ideal for a summer vacation full of sun, fun and –

"Debauchery," Rose cackled, tossing the last of her things on to a bed. "This place is just made for it."

Claire had eventually left the threesome to their own devices, saying she'd be by in the morning. She lived a couple of blocks away with her fiancée.

Alice shrieked from somewhere downstairs. Seconds later she came dashing up the stairs and leaned in to the bedroom Bella had chosen. "Omygod," she panted.

"What?"

"There is totally an appropriate pole near the pool."

"Ha," barked Bella. "There is nothing appropriate about what you want to do with that pole."

"Shut up," Alice sighed, flopping back. "I'll have you twirling 'round that thing by July."

Alice had been taking burlesque classes in Port Angeles since the beginning of senior year. Her parents didn't know about it, and by this point, she was a total vixen on the stripper pole.

"Like I said," Rose said, sitting beside Alice. "Debauchery. No guy is going to be able to risk a house full of hot, nubile girls."

"Gross," snickered Bella, even though she secretly agreed. She tended to fake the funk and be all faux-innocent about such matters, whereas Rose just said it like it was.

In bed later, Bella snuggled down deep in to her blankets. The girls didn't start work until Monday, and she looked forward to spending the next day on the beach with Alice and Rose.

What she wanted most of all, though, was for someone to make her fall head over feet. She wanted the fling, the summertime romance, even if it meant letting someone in to her heart.

* * *

just so you know, this storyline is going to be corny, horny, angst free, and ridiculous. rife with cliche and silly situations, questionable dialogue and men in construction hats.

also, this is the real crystal beachin'. http:/www(dot)vrbo(dot)com/70219 replace the (dot)s with actual dots. anyway, some fandom girlfriends and i stayed there last fall, and that's where we came up with all sorts of ideas for this cheestastic fluff/crack fic.

so much fretting over the angstier plot lines! goodness. hopefully the pure idiocy of crystal beachin' will counteract the sadness.


	6. Exercise

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

not beta'd

**storyline - "beginning"**

prompt - exercise

* * *

Bella's shift was almost over. Her glances at the wall clock became more frequent as the day darkened into dusk, and the café slowly filled with yet another rush.

Post-class, pre-dinner time.

Never having been too coordinated, Bella stayed behind the counter. She let girls like Alice and Lauren wait tables while she ran the register, or made coffee drinks and sandwiches with Angela behind the scenes. Upon employment, everyone was expected to do everything, but as time passed the girls fell into designated roles.

Bella had worked at the café for most of her college career, and now as a senior, also enjoyed senior status as an employee. Sometimes she even helped Jasper with the book keeping, despite the fact that Alice was better at numbers than she.

Alice and Jasper had been dancing around their attraction even longer than Bella and Edward had been muddling about in theirs.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear; apparently this applied to thinking about him as well: Bella looked up from the cash register right as Edward slipped in the door, mid-winter wind whipping in with him.

Bella's heart skipped, and then sank. She hadn't seen him since New Year's. She longed for him, but she was also annoyed by him. Amazing how his pretty face had been compromised by his stupid attitude and his stupid antics.

Their eyes met. He took off his gloves, she put down her pen. He halted halfway between the door and the counter; she stepped back until she hit the kitchen door and then disappeared behind it.

Tyler glanced up from his salad assembly. "The Cobb's ready, if you want to take it out."

"I'll wait till they're both done," Bella murmured, leaning against the wall.

"Mkay," Tyler hummed.

Angela poked her head through the door. "I took care of him. He's at a table now," she said, her eyes kind.

Bella smiled her thanks and ventured back outside, sneaking a muffin to pick at. Try as she did, she couldn't keep her eyes from searching the cozy crowd. Edward's hair, as usual, stood out. He turned when she spotted him, as if he could sense her the way she sensed him. Even in the glow of recessed lighting, his bright eyes glimmered rather tempestuously. Bella thought about those eyes gleaming in the half-dark, staring up at her while his mouth took care of her down below.

The little bell rang, letting Bella know the salads were now both ready. She grabbed them and set them on the counter, looking for either Alice or Lauren, but they were both busy on the floor, trying to keep up with the influx of people.

Sighing, Bella picked up the overflowing bowls and stepped on to the floor, her eyes fastened on table twelve. She managed to go and come back without incident, until Edward grasped her arm.

And she'd purposely avoided passing his booth.

"Yes?" she said, staring at Angela-behind-the-counter instead of Edward-at-her-side.

"I'm sorry about New Year's," he said with a sigh, gripping her tightly as if he knew she wanted to get away.

Bella carefully peeled his fingers off of her arm anyway and shrugged. "Nothing new."

"Don't be that way."

Bella scowled up at him, finding it near impossible to exercise restraint when he was being this obtuse.

"Seriously? You frigging left me at that girl's house, Edward. I don't even _know_ her. I had to sneak out the next morning like a slut because I didn't want to run in to her."

Edward blinked slowly, not used to this sort of pisssyness from Bella. Sure they'd had their fair share of squabbles – first as close friends and then as more than friends – but this was different.

Perhaps Bella was tired of his games.

Only, Edward didn't mean to play games. He'd felt guilty the second he'd left the room where he and Bella had slept, and even worse as he'd gotten in to his car to jet to work. It had sucked having to work New Year's Day, but that's what small businesses had to do to survive in this economy.

"I was… late for work," he offered lamely.

"You could have woken me up to tell me." Bella moved aside to allow someone else to pass by. "You could have given me a ride home. I had to take the bus." Fed up and a little heart-hurt, she left abruptly to return to the counter.

Edward sat back down and tried to reabsorb himself in to the conversation in his booth. His coworkers were excited about the newest client they'd helped bring on. He'd had a huge part in that and tonight was supposed to be a mellow sort of celebration.

There were dozens of restaurants, and even bars they could have gone to, but he'd chosen here.

Because no matter what, he couldn't keep away from Bella. Not even when _he _pushed _her_ away.

He'd always been drawn to her. It was why he reassigned himself to certain classes, and frequented the café to do home work or job work. It was why he had a hard time seeing other women, even the fascinating ones with smarts, excellent taste in music and nice racks. He kissed them sometimes, but his mind stayed on the brunette with the dark eyes and quiet laugh, making it impossible to go further.

He supposed he loved her, even if he couldn't commit. The thought strangled him.

He wondered how far he could go before losing her altogether. He imagined that might be a relief; Bella cutting herself off from him once and for all, making his life easy, if not empty.

He watched her now, smiling for customers as she wandered back and forth behind the counter, serving and helping.

Yes, he probably did love her. Yes, he was probably even a little infatuated.

It was why, if he wouldn't let himself be inside Bella, he seduced her in to other things, kissing her all over and tasting her until she came.

A blonde waitress appeared, serving their table the drinks they'd ordered earlier.

Jessica raised her beer in a toast, thanking Edward for his hard work as they all clinked their bottles together.


	7. First

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

not beta'd

**storyline - 'Laugh'**

**prompt word - first**

* * *

Sleep was futile.

I felt like I'd lost my other half.

Maybe I should have tried harder to get him to stay, really worked for it.

I rolled over in bed, patting the cold sheets on the other side. Our room…my room… was just barely lit now, filmy predawn purple. The first thing I saw was the picture of us, the one on the night stand. He'd left that behind, it seemed.

A wave of grief crushed my heart and for a moment I lay still, letting myself cry.

Even when we had begun to drift away from one another he had still been there, and I realized his physical presence was what had kept me afloat even when he was emotionally absent.

But where had _I_ been during all that time? Too afraid to look things in the eye? What happened to the boy from senior prom? To the one who'd covered my eyes when he'd found our first apartment?

What had happened to me?

Had I really failed us so badly?

My cell phone blinked, alerting me to missed messages.

Wiping my eyes, I reached for it.

Two messages: a concerned one from Rosalie, and a brief one from Edward.

_Please talk to me._

It was early where I was, and where he was too, but not as early. He'd gone east, and was at least an hour ahead of me now. Whereas the night before talking to him had squeezed my heart, now _not_ talking to him was doing damage.

I pressed his name delicately.

"Bella?" He sounded groggy; he'd definitely been sleeping.

"Yeah… I got your text," I said, chewing my thumbnail.

"Oh…okay." He paused, and I heard rustling sheets. "I'm glad you called."

"Ugh, you sound so formal," I said, swallowing back a sob. "This isn't you. Or me."

"I miss you."

His words both buoyed my heart and drowned it. "You don't get to miss me."

"But I do."

"Then why did you go?"

"Because I had to. We weren't the same anymore."

I stayed quiet, not having an argument for that.

"And anyway, this promotion gives me what I've always wanted professionally. It would have –"

"I'm glad you have that, at least," I said, and I meant it.

"It's all I have though," he said, his voice thick with sadness. "I wish you were here."

"It took you leaving me to figure that out?" I cried, flopping back down in to the sheets. "That's crap."

"I know," he said.

"You left so many things behind," I sighed. "You left the boxers… and the picture by your side of the bed…"

"I took the one from the hallway."

I slipped out of bed, shivering when my feet hit the hard wood floor. The empty spot on the wall in the hallway confirmed what he'd said and I ran my fingers across it.

"Bella?"

"I'm here."

"I _am_ sorry."

I shrugged to myself. "Me too."

"I…" He trailed off. I wondered what it was he really wanted to say. "I should… I should get ready now that I'm up. First day jitters and all that…"

"Good luck," I murmured tonelessly, making my way in to the kitchen to start my own day. "Good bye."

Too early for me, as well. But it was better than staying in bed.

"Bye, Bella."

I put the coffee on to percolate.

And wondered how long to would take for one of us to bend, and then break.

* * *

there are currently 4 STORYLINES. two are angsty ("beginning" and "Laugh"). two are fluffy ("Countdown" and "Heart", aka Crystal Beachin'.)

every prompt will fall under one of these four storylines, unless i get ideas and start a new one. which... could happen.


	8. Genesis

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

**storyline - Heart (Crystal Beachin')**

**prompt word - genesis**

* * *

Bella awoke, bright n' early, to the sound of drilling.

And not the good sort of drilling, the kind that was usually accompanied by thumping headboards and moaning, but the irritating kind.

Rolling over, she grabbed one of the many plush pillows on her bed and covered her head. She'd had the best sleep of her life and she wasn't about to finish up just yet.

"Be-llaaaaaa…" Alice whined her way in to the bedroom and slipped in next to Bella, burrowing beneath the blankets. "Too loud!"

"I know," Bella griped, sitting up. She marched over to the window and peered out, trying to find the source of all that noise.

"_OhmyGodisthatGenesis_?" yawned Rose, stumbling in to the room.

Bella caught the yawn. "What?"

"Eighties… cheese…" mumbled Rose, collapsing in to bed with Alice.

Bella put her ear to the window and listened, grimacing when she realized Rose was right. Not only were the bastards drilling merrily away at like nine am, they were blasting "In Too Deep".

"That's…weird," Alice said, her voice muffled by the comforter.

It was a little random, Bella thought. She imagined they must be old construction men, well past their prime, half baked and reddened by the Floridian sun as they jammed to oldies. That was kind of a cute thought, she supposed.

"Well. I don't think we're going to be able to go back to sleep, so we might as well get up," Bella said, yanking the blankets off of Rose and Alice. "What're we doing for breakfast?"

"I don't know, but I need to shave," Rose said, rolling out of bed.

"And I need to check out the pole," Alice said, following her.

Bella stripped out of her t-shirt and sweats, leaving a trail of clothing on the way to the bathroom. She yanked open the shower curtain… and shrieked.

The other side of the shower held a huge window facing out. Bella could see the pool downstairs, the street, and, across the street, the condos that sat right on the beach.

The view was lovely, but knowing that everyone could see in, wasn't. Bella quickly shut the filmy curtain covering the window and started the shower as the urgent strains of "Invisible Touch" floated by.

* * *

Rose still hadn't gotten her ass out of the shower.

Bella wandered in to her room and knocked on the bathroom door.

There was no answer, but she could hear the water running. She went inside and paused, not at all surprised at the spectacle before her.

Rose was sitting in the window seat, shaving. Naked, obviously.

"Um… you do know anyone passing by can probably see you, right?" Bella asked, folding her arms as she leaned against the door.

"Oh, I know they can," Rose said, trimming her bikini line.

"Rose!"

"What?"

"Could you like…close your legs at least?"

"Could you like… close the door on the way out?"

Bella rolled her eyes and left. Fine. If Rose wanted the old farts across the street to catch a porny glimpse of her cooch, she could go right ahead.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Alice was spinning around the poolside pole. Bella watched her from the kitchen as she made herself a smoothie with the fruit Rose's Aunt Claire had so thoughtfully provided.

It looked like a good workout, at the very least. _Maybe…_

Alice threw her head back and slithered seductively down the pole, practically humping it.

…_Erm, maybe not._

Bella wondered if Ali was dancing to music of her own or if she was just going along with the soul searching sounds of Genesis.

* * *

Emmett wiped his arm across his face and elbowed Jasper.

"Where's my iPhone?"

"Why?"

"Dude, where is it?"

Jasper looked around momentarily before nodding toward the tool box. "It's right there."

Emmett grabbed and dialed, only to hang up in frustration. "His phone is _still_ turned off. "

"Leave him alone; he'll get over it," Jasper said, shrugging. "We go through this every week."

"Yeah, well, I'm getting tired of this frigging crap music, man. He's probably passed out on the beach somewhere... he probably can't even hear it."

It was true. Emo Eddie was always lamenting over some female, always wandering the beach when he was supposed to be working with the guys.

Mainly because he went for bitches and hoes. The latest had been Tanya, some rich chick from Jacksonville who'd decided to return home instead of spend the summer in Destin. She'd unceremoniously dumped Edward the day before, and now Em and Jasper were suffering right along with him.

"If he's not back by the end of "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" I'll go get him," murmured Jasper.

Emmett didn't even bother to ask how Jasper knew the name of the current song. He'd lost his mind for sure, because he was, at the moment, hallucinating.

"Em," said Jasper. "Em!"

"Dude… come here," Emmett breathed.

Jasper walked over to where Emmett was standing. "What?"

"Look right there… what do you see?"

Jasper squinted, trying to see where Em was pointing. The morning sun was bright, making it hard.

And then… then he saw it. Saw her.

A petite little dark haired beauty _dancing up and down a pole_. "Hot damn," he whispered.

"I know…" Emmett whispered back.

But he didn't even see the brunette. All he saw was the nude blonde goddess in the window, shaving her legs.

And then... her honey pot.

* * *

_i listened to copious amounts of Genesis on youtube while writing this._


	9. Inception

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

**_storyline - Countdown_**

**_prompt word - inception_**

* * *

It was something of a mind-trip to think that we'd been so mutually fascinated since the inception of our acquaintance. I'd definitely felt the pull of automatic attraction before, but it had never been quite like this. Never so… equal.

I'd thought of Edward often after meeting him on the train, only to find out he'd thought of me just as much. He said he even caught the same train at the same time, once or twice more, in the hopes of running into me again, but to no avail.

I explained that I usually didn't take the train that late, either. I wondered what would have happened if I did.

But it didn't matter, as I firmly believed that fate had brought us together again anyway.

I desperately wanted a shower, but I didn't have anything clean to change in to. While I already found myself feeling attached to Edward, and really comfortable with him, I wasn't at the stage where I could just bathe and then borrow his clothing.

"I should get going soon," I said, watching the light in the room turn golden. We'd spent the day in his bed, talking and watching movies, making trips to the kitchen for sustenance. "This dress…"

He sat up, scratching his head. "Yeah…sorry about that. I should have lent you something to wear."

"It's okay," I said, giving him a shy smile. "It's been…perfect."

"That it has," he agreed, stretching before standing.

I followed his lead, grabbing my purse off of the floor as we left the bedroom.

In the car, he took my hand and rested it on his lap as he drove, sometimes swishing his thumb against my skin.

"So you have work tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yes… unfortunately."

"You don't like your job?"

It wasn't that I didn't like it; being a paralegal for one of the more prestigious firms in town had its perks. I worked hard, but was never overworked, and I was paid handsomely for it.

No, the problem was that I would be thinking about Edward now, probably all night and all the next day.

In fact, until we met again.

He _seemed_ just as infatuated with me as I was with him, but I didn't want to presume. The last long term relationship I'd been in had ended amiably enough, but it had been nearly a year before. Besides the occasional casual date – work acquaintances, blind dates set up by Rose, double dates with Alice and her flavor of the month – no one had really captured my interest.

I felt rusty.

"Bella?"

I looked up at him, realizing I'd been lost in thought. Smiling, I squeezed his fingers a bit. "I… do like my job. A lot, actually. I just… you know. Post-holiday blues."

He nodded, and the most beautiful smile graced his face. His eyes crinkled, and I could see a faint dimple marking his cheek. My heart dipped dramatically.

"The holidays don't have to be over," he said, glancing at me.

Warmth filled me. "That's true."

I directed him to the townhouse I rented, and he pulled up next to my car.

"Can I see you again? Tomorrow?" he asked, right away.

My breath caught in my throat; it was all I could do to nod.

"You sure?" he asked, just barely teasing.

"_Please_ see me tomorrow," I said, feeling my face burn as I let him know how eager I was.

He grinned, and got out of the car. I almost got out of my side, but stopped, realizing Edward was a different sort of creature. He was a gentleman, and though his home hadn't been flashy or over the top, it had spoken of class and good upbringing.

I allowed him to open my door and take my hand, giggling a little as he pulled me out and pressed me to his chest.

At the door, he waited patiently until I'd gotten inside.

We kissed. I didn't want him to leave.

"Do you want… to stay for a drink?" I blurted out. "Or coffee?"

He looked down, his hands in his pockets. "I do, but I don't think I should, Ms…?"

Utter embarrassment. I must have looked like a tomato, I blushed so hard. "Swan. Bella Swan."

"And I'm Edward Cullen." He frowned, touching my cheek. "I didn't mean to make you feel –"

"No, no you're right," I said, swallowing hard. This was a good thing. He cared enough to not put us in a compromising position. "I… really look forward to seeing you tomorrow."

He kissed me again, and I shivered as his fingers crept up the back of my neck and into my hair.

"Tomorrow, then."

* * *

_man, all could think of with this prompt was the movie. bwahaha! great film, but...um..._


	10. Novice

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

**_storyline - beginning_**

**_prompt word - novice_**

* * *

"Dude, you suck!" Tyler bellowed, flinging himself back on to the couch. He tossed his Wii remote down and picked up his beer, sulking.

"Not my fault you're such a novice," Jasper crowed, smiling smugly. "_You_ said you knew how to play."

"I do, but come on. That last move was hella shady," complained Tyler.

Bella rolled her eyes at their antics, standing up to clear the coffee table. The last thing she needed was an over-enthusiastic arm flinging a half empty beer bottle or bowl of Cheetos to the floor.

Alice followed right behind, carrying a couple of glasses she'd found lying around.

This was their Friday night un-wind. The cast of characters swelled and shrank, the core always remaining the same: Jasper, Tyler and Lauren from work, Ben and Eric from school.

"So, have you spoken to him since the café?" Alice asked, scraping a plate before putting it into the dishwasher.

"No," Bella said, suppressing a sigh. She thought of Edward more than she cared to admit, but things had crossed a line on New Year's.

She didn't know why; Edward had been wishy washy the whole time they'd been hooking up, and while leaving her at Rose's had been the worst yet, it wasn't that far off from his usual crap.

Bella decided it didn't matter. The point was, she was ready to move on – regardless of what feelings lingered.

Alice grabbed another set of beers from the fridge. "You gonna call him?"

"Psh, no," Bella said. "I'm over his games."

"Really?"

Bella shrugged. "Not saying I'm over him, but I refuse to give in to him anymore. We've been at this what… a year and a half? The glamour's long worn off."

"What's worn off?" Ben asked, joining them in the kitchen.

"Nothing." Bella smiled, shaking her head. "What's up? Refill?"

"Nah, I think we're gonna head out. I'm going fishing with my Dad at the buttcrack of dawn," Ben said, grimacing. "Anyway, see ya." He bent to hug Bella, and then Alice, before the three of them made their way back out to the living room.

Tyler, Lauren and Eric had all gotten to their feet as well.

Bella sighed inwardly. It _was_ past eleven, but she wasn't in the mood to be alone with her thoughts just yet. Jasper appeared to be staying, but he and Alice were in to each other and while they hadn't moved n it yet, it could happen any time. Bella loved them both and didn't want to impede on that, which meant she'd probably end up chilling in her room, "catching up on reading."

Lauren yawned, giving Bella in a hug. "You working tomorrow?"

"Nope; got the weekend off," Bella said.

"Ugh. Lucky bitch. I'm working the four to ten."

"Yeah, have fun with that," teased Bella, walking her to the door.

Tyler swept her up in a tight hug, kissing her cheek. "Later, B."

"Bye, Ty."

Bella watched the group walk away, shivering in the wind. She was about to shut the door when she noticed a parked car across the street.

Edward was sitting on the hood, smoking a cigarette.

They stared at each other momentarily; she huddled in the doorway, he tossing the butt aside as he slipped off the car.

He walked over and stopped, hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"Hi."

"Hi," Bella said, regarding him warily. Nothing good came out of these late night hook ups.

Well, they could have been good if they'd been part of something else. As it were they were out of context, singular instances of like and lust and nothing more.

"What're you doing here?" she asked, after a prolonged silence.

"Came to see you," he said, nodding toward the house. "I didn't know you had company."

The tone of his voice suggested he meant more than just a group of friends, and Bella wondered if he'd taken Tyler's goodbye to mean more than it did.

"I always have company on Friday night," Bell said, shrugging. "Seems like you should know that, but… whatever."

"You still mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you; I'm done with you."

Edward frowned, casting his eyes downward. Yes, he'd known Bella's breaking point was coming. He hadn't been sure that tonight would be the night, but he'd known it was an eventual inevitability. And yet, now that she'd said the words he was left feeling bereft and a little empty.

Bella frowned, too. Edward was so incredibly difficult to read. Now he looked almost sad.

Well, honestly. What did he expect?

"What?" she asked, irritated at his quiet, irritated at the situation, irritated at the damn frigging freezing weather.

He came closer, so close that they were almost touching. It was harder when she could see his eyes, how beautiful and green they were even in the dark, fringed with lashes so long they kissed his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, okay? For…everything. I know it hasn't been easy for you. I'm not saying this to get you to change your mind, I just… I'm sorry."

Bella nodded, aching to put her arms around him.

Behind her, the hushed rise and fall of Alice and Jasper's conversation continued, punctuated by his chuckle and her laugh. Bella envied their ease. She wished she and Edward had remained friends, but that had never been an option for them.

They had too much chemistry, too much spark.

And not enough substance.

Edward reached to touch Bella's face, pushing strands of hair from her face.

"Can I just ask one thing?" she whispered.

He nodded faintly.

"Why can't I be what you want?"

His heart fell. "It's not about that."

"Then tell me what it's about."

"_I_ can't be what _you_ want. Or need," he said, a little brokenly.

Bella fought the urge to cry. She'd never cried over Edward, not even when she was frustrated or angry or both. She wouldn't do it now, either.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and stepped back, closer to the warmth of her home.

Edward followed, slipping his hand around her waist before she could retreat further. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her.

She let him, moving her mouth and tongue with his even as she pushed him away.

He tightened his grip and then let go, leaving without another word.

Bella shut the door and went to her room, suddenly very glad for the time alone.


	11. Preserve

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

**storyline - "Laugh"**

**word prompt - preserve**

* * *

The weeks rolled by, grey and dull as the winter we were in.

I supposed I could have tried harder to come out of my self-imposed confinement – both figuratively and literally— but I simply had no desire. Edward took to calling every now and then, but when phone calls proved too painful and awkward for us both, he resorted to emails.

In the beginning, I ignored the emails. Well, I read them, but I didn't respond. In an effort to preserve at least some of my heart – the part he hadn't taken with him – I limited contact.

The problem was he seemed lonely in his new city. Sure, it had been his decision, his own damn fault for uprooting himself and chasing the ladder-climbing dream of promotions and money, but I felt sympathetic. I at least had a support system; he did not.

So I started writing back.

The notes were brief at first, and maybe even a little boring. We talked about our day, what we were doing for the weekend (usually nothing; I don't know why we even bothered bringing that one up). I realized that not having to hear his voice made the interaction a little easier.

But then we started talking about other things as well. I remembered why we'd become acquainted in the first place, way back in high school, junior high, even, in an after school history study group. We'd always been friends first.

All of that changed the day I came home to an email saying he was going on a "work date". Why he felt the need to share such a thing with me, I didn't know.

_There was no one else you could tell? Why me? At the risk of sounding cold, Edward, I didn't ask to be your only friend. Perhaps it would be better to tell things like this to Jasper, or some of your friends from back home. My home. Our home? Where do you consider home? Here? There?_

_Anyway, I'd say that I'm happy you're moving on, but I'm not. I was foolish to think that we could pretend to be just friends, sharing work anecdotes and comparing the weather. Keeping in contact has somewhat softened the blow of you leaving, but knowing that you're actually taking another woman out makes me sick to my stomach._

_You asked me to stay honest with you, even if I was having a crappy day, and even if what I had to say, hurt. Well, there you go._

_Bella_

I shut the computer off after that, not wanting to read his reply. Yes, I wanted him to be happy.

No, I didn't want him to be happy with someone else.

My phone rang, and my stomach clenched anxiously in the negative anticipation of seeing Edward's name. It wasn't him though.

"Hi, Al."

"Hey, sweetie. You down to go out tonight? There's a new jazz lounge downtown…"

I smiled to myself. Alice had been trying to get me to come out of the house for weeks, but I'd been too busy moping or emailing Edward to feign being social.

She sighed, and I took a deep breath. I did, after all, love jazz. A little wine sounded nice, too.

"Yes, actually. That sounds good. What time?"

"Really?" she said, sounding relieved. "Awesome. Why don't I just pick you up around seven… you know I prefer riding together."

"Okay," I agreed, running my fingers over the lettering on my sweatshirt. "Will Rose come too?"

"Yeah, I think so. She had to work late, but she said she'd meet us there."

"So you knew I'd come out, huh?" I teased.

"Just keeping optimistic," Alice said.

"Well…good. Optimism is good." I winced at my own lameness. There was only so long I could be dour and emo before it got, well, depressing. "I'll be ready when you get here, okay?"

"Okay!" she said cheerfully. "Toodles!"

I rolled my eyes as I hung up, chuckling at Alice's ridiculousness. She said things just to say them, not even because she was actually like that. A couple of months before she'd ended all of her phone calls with "peace". That had been real special.

My phone dinged, alerting me to a new email. I was actually looking forward to going out with the girls, and I didn't want to sully the first good mood I'd had in a while.

I left the phone and awaiting messages on the table and went to take a shower.


	12. Unused

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

**storyline - Heart (Crystal Beachin')**

**word prompt - unused**

* * *

Alice loaded the dishwasher while Rose made mimosas, courtesy of the welcome champagne Aunt Claire had left in the fridge.

Yeah, the girls were a little under-aged but that's what summer was all about – living it up as inappropriately as possible! Or so Rose said when Bella expressed concern.

Secretly, Bella couldn't wait to get her drank on. She'd always been a lightweight when it came to alcohol, so it didn't take much for her to get the warm n' tinglies. Maybe she'd even loosen up enough to take a spin around the pole later.

"You got towels?" Rose asked, twisting shut the tops of the thermoses.

Bella nodded, patting the ginormous beach bag to her right. "Yup."

"Awesome sauce. Let's go!"

As the girls made their way outside, they noticed that Genesis had now been replaced by Top 40 type tuneage.

Rose frowned, adjusting her sunglasses. "That's weird."

"What?" Alice asked.

"The old farts are listening to like, our kind of music."

Alice lowered her sunglasses on to her face and locked the door. "So?"

"So… it's random. Maybe another shift took over or something," mused Rose.

"At ten a.m?" Bella asked. Well damn, if they were switching shifts already, how early did these guys start work?

The girls crossed the street and made their way, single file, down the wooden boardwalk leading to the beach.

A long, low whistle sounded from somewhere above. "Daaaaaamn, girl…" someone called.

Bella looked up, searching for the catcallers.

"Can we come too?" the voice asked teasingly.

There they were: two young guys about 5 stories up. One of them, the lankier one, was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, but the other one was shirtless and in a hard hat. He was seriously diesel, but his get up made him look like a stripper. Or one of the Village People.

Bella smothered a laugh and continued walking, only to run right in to Rose, who'd slowed down and put an extra swagger to her step.

"Oh jeez, just move it Rose," groaned Bella, anxious to get to the damn beach already. Between Rose's lower landscaping, Alice's dancercise, and then never-ending breakfast, it had taken them forever and a day to get out of the house.

"I am moving," Rose breathed, obviously still putting on a show for the construction workers.

Alice reached back and grabbed Bella's hand, hurrying past Rose. "Okay, well, we'll see you there then."

The beach was blindingly bright and beautiful, unlike anything Bella had ever seen. The water was the most brilliant blue, as was the sky, and the sand was so white that she had to shield her eyes. Several oversized beach umbrellas were scattered around the beach, and children ran up and down the shore, shrieking and playing.

"Wow," Bella whispered, stunned.

"No kidding," Alice sighed, taking her shoes off as she jumped down to the sand. "It's even better than the websites said."

Even as they walked across the sand, more and more people were showing up. Destin was, after all, quite a popular vacation destination. Rose finally caught up and they picked their way to a prime spot near the water.

As Alice and Rose spread the beach blanket, Bella couldn't help but notice a dark figure to her left. There, on a ratty old towel, lay a boy in a black hoodie and board shorts. He was curled in fetal position, his arms and legs tucked close to his body.

Bella was about to go make sure he was breathing when he groaned audibly and began patting the towel, running his fingers over the threadbare material.

"Ok, that's disturbing," hissed Rose, glaring at the spectacle beside them. "What, is he on drugs or something?"

Bella bit her lip. "Maybe he's just –"

"Who wears a hoodie – a black hoodie – in ninety degree weather?" Alice muttered, rolling her eyes. "He's probably a crack head. Or meth. Do they have a bad meth problem over here? I was watching this show…"

Bella checked out of the conversation. She felt concerned for the strange emo boy, but he didn't look like he wanted to be bothered.

And besides, the weather was way too excellent to be all sad. With that thought, she stripped out of her shorts and tank top.

Something cold touched her arm. "Here's yours, B," Rose said, handing her a mimosa.

"Thanks," Bella said, accepting it gratefully.

It was gonna be a snazzy day.

* * *

"It squeaks!" cried Alice, mashing her foot down in to the sand. She just gone for a dip and was now returning to the blanket, dripping wet. "It squeaks!"

"Whaddya mean, 'it squeaks'?" Rose asked, making a face.

Alice shrugged, picking up a towel. "It just does."

"Didn't squeak for me," Rose argued.

"You probably need to be wet," Bella said.

"_That's what she said_," chortled Rose. She was finished with her mammoth mimosa and was now tipsy.

Emo Boy had left about a half an hour before. Bella hadn't even noticed him get up until he was half way back to the boardwalk.

"Well, I'm going in one last time," Bella said, bringing her thermos with her. The others joined her – even though Ali had just gotten out - and they splashed around until they were wrinkled and gross.

"Oh. My. Gosh," Rose said lowly, pinching Bella.

"Ow!"

"There are the guys."

Alice looked lazily toward shore. "What guys?"

"The construction guys, duh!"

There were three of them now. As they got closer, Bella recognized the third as Emo Boy, sans the black hoodie. As she watched, the blond lanky one clapped Emo on the back; he appeared to be comforting him. Diesel shed his jeans and ran toward the water in a pair of boxer briefs.

"I know he's not going swimming like that," Alice giggled, covering her mouth.

"He is so going swimming like that," Rose said. "Can't wait till he gets out; it'll be all wet and molded to his –"

Bella jumped out of the water, not interested in hearing Rose's filthy fantasies. "I'm starving."

"Me too," Alice said, adjusting her bikini bottoms as she joined Bella.

"I wanna staaay," whined Rose. Her cheeks were bright pink, despite repeated applications of sunscreen.

"We'll have lunch and come back," coaxed Alice, knowing full well Rose would probably pass out at the house.

Rose shrugged, standing up with a wobble. "Mkay."

* * *

After lunch, Rose fell asleep on the couch, as predicted.

"I think I'm gonna check my email," Alice said, giving the counter one last swipe before tossing the rag in to the sink.

Bella nodded. "I'm going to read by the pool. I'm so making cookies later, though."

"Nutella?"

"I'll have to go to the store for that," Bella said. "But I can do regular chocolate chip."

"Sounds good."

Alice went upstairs to her laptop and Bella grabbed her book and an unused towel from the neatly stacked pile near the patio doors.

She'd only been reading for about five minutes when the squeak of the old access gate leading to the street startled her.

"Hello?" Bella called out, standing up.

A head of shiny, brownish blond hair appeared through the leaves surrounding their gate. He stepped up on to the patio and paused.

Emo Boy?

"Hey, uh… sorry to bother you, um…" He paused, frowning at his feet. "You forgot this at the beach."

He finally looked at her, and her stomach dropped to her feet. Holy cow, he was hot.

Bella stared.

"These… are yours, right?" he asked, holding out a pair of sunglasses.

Greenest. Eyes. In the universe.

"I knew it," he mumbled, starting to retreat.

That moved Bella to action. She focused on the sunglasses – they were Rose's.

"Oh! Oh, yeah, they're uh, they're my friend's. Thanks," she stammered, stepping forward to take them.

He nodded, his gaze burning in to her with the fiery blaze of a zillion passionate suns.

They stood awkwardly for a moment, pheromones and hormones and subtle horniness passing mutually between them.

"Well, thanks," Bella said again, gripping the glasses.

"You're welcome," he said, turning to leave.

"I'm Bella," she blurted.

"Edward," he said, smiling a tiny bit.

Bella nodded. Edward turned to go again.

"Um… Edward?"

He stopped, glancing over his shoulder.

"How'd you know we were staying here?"

"The guys saw your friends here earlier," he said, smirking.

"Oh, ok. Cool." Bella smiled, a little in love already.

"See you around…"

* * *

Edward crossed the street, feeling a little funny after his encounter with the Brunette.

The sun was still pretty high in the sky, despite the fact it was already three. Gotta love summertime, baby.

He felt like dancin'. Felt like singin'.

He recognized this feeling.

_Bye-bye Tanya, hello Bella._


	13. Sparkle

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

not beta'd

**storyline - "Beginning"**

**word prompt - sparkle**

* * *

Bella flicked her pencil repeatedly on her desk, looking forward to class starting. She'd purposely sat down in front so that Edward's entrance in to the lecture hall would be easy to ignore, or even miss.

It had been a couple of days since she and Edward had called things off. She knew she'd done the right thing, but that hadn't prepared her for the sense of loneliness and loss she felt now. Edward might have been inconsistent emotionally, but his companionship had been consistent. They'd been friends before hooking up, and now she didn't even have that.

The large room was filling up quickly now, thank God. There was no way he'd be able to find a seat close to her.

Tanya, a pretty blonde that Bella had been acquainted with for a year or two, sat beside her, yawning.

"Long night?" Bella asked, a little absently.

Tanya shrugged, and then nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's Monday, you know?"

Bella chuckled quietly. "I know."

"I was finishing up this crappy assignment, and then my roommate's boyfriend decided to use the blender at three a.m. …" She rolled her eyes. "Guess that's what happens when you date younger guys. They're still in frosh-mode."

"Ugh. That would've driven me nuts."

"Oh, it did. I almost told him off, but Rina did first."

The professor appeared in front, giving a curt nod and smile to the class.

Bella relaxed a little. Now she could focus on academics, and not the questions in her mind and heart.

A little over an hour later, Tanya returned the pen she'd borrowed midway through class.

"All right, well… guess I'll see you Wednesday."

"Definitely," Bella said, standing as she zipped her bag.

"Hey…" Tanya sounded hesitant.

Bella shrugged her backpack on, eyebrows raised.

"Are you and Edward still…seeing each other?"

Taken aback that someone would ask her about that, Bella recoiled involuntarily.

"Oh... I'm – Bella? I'm sorry, I didn't…"

Bella shook her head. "No, it's okay. It's just weird you're asking, because we actually decided to stop seeing each other." The words felt clunky and awkward coming out of her mouth. It was difficult to explain the end of something so indefinable in the first place.

"Really?" Tanya seemed genuinely baffled.

The hall began to quiet as the last of the students drained out.

"Yeah. Why, you want him?" Bella joked lamely. She didn't know why she'd said that. The thought of it sickened her. She knew Edward and Tanya had been friends for awhile, back from high school. Their families were friends or something.

Tanya frowned. "Honey, if that ship was gonna sail it would have, a long time ago." She brushed her hair out of her face. "I was asking because he came by Friday night, drunk as all hell."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. He wouldn't talk about it, just watched TV and then passed out on the couch. He was gone before I even got up the next morning."

Bella snorted. "Sounds like something he'd do."

Tanya sighed. "Well, anyway. Didn't mean to get up in your business. I just wondered."

They finally stepped out in to the aisle and began making their way up through the empty auditorium, their footsteps echoing loudly.

"I think we want different things," Bella said, her voice scarcely louder than a whisper. "And... I can't do it anymore. "

Tanya nodded, sympathy written all over her face.

"He was always kind of a loner, you know? Like in high school, even junior high. I don't know. I hate to oversimplify it, but sometimes I wonder of he has daddy issues. The male version, obviously."

Bella knew Edward's parents were divorced, but so were hers. That was no excuse to close yourself off.

"I'm headed this way," Tanya said, squeezing Bella's arm.

"All right. See you," Bella mumbled, waving goodbye.

It was a sweet, sunny day, even though it was still cold. Normally Bella would have felt happy on a day like that.

She appreciated Tanya's concern, though, even if the other girl's words had left her as confused she'd been before.

* * *

Bella sighed, holding up the green t-shirt. It was Edward's. She'd worn it home once, and it must have been hiding in the laundry since.

She folded it and put it aside, not sure what to do with it; she wouldn't wear it again, but it felt wasteful to just toss it. Mailing it back seemed stupid too.

She wondered if he would show up at the café again. Her shift started in about an hour; she'd just put the shirt in her bag and if Edward showed up, well, she'd return it to him.

Bella didn't have to wait long to find out. Upon arriving, she noticed Edward sitting in a corner booth by himself. It looked like he was doing homework.

Taking a deep breath, Bella marched straight over to him. He looked up, a little surprised by her sudden presence.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi." She retrieved the shirt from her bag and thrust it at him. "I found this today. I was doing laundry. So… here."

Edward took the shirt, an undecipherable expression crossing his face. "Thanks."

"No problem." Bella took a step back. "Okay." She turned and left, her head down as she went toward the counter.

Edward looked at the t-shirt in his hands. He brought it to his nose, inhaling. It smelled like Bella's house, her detergent. His chest squeezed a little, and he shoved the shirt in to his bag.

He'd known that by coming to the café, he'd see her, and that was what he wanted. The café was one of his favorite spots anyway: it was warm and comfortable, the music was never loud, the food and coffee (and beer, if that's what he was in the mood for) was great. But his favorite part had always been Bella.

It was a little masochistic, maybe, but it was his way he supposed.

Sighing heavily, he returned to his studies.

* * *

He could hear her laughing, even over the busy din of the now crowded café.

A couple of friends had joined him, and they were just hanging out now, trying to decide if they wanted to order dinner or head home.

Edward's eyes wandered to the counter, where Bella was giggling at something her coworker was saying. He realized that he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a sparkle like that in her eyes, and it hurt.

She was better without him. He'd been right to let her go.

So why did it feel so bad?

* * *

_a lot of you think edward's a jerk. i think that's harsh. i think bella was wise to break things off with him, but feelings and emotional scars are messy. i feel bad for edward... he's sort of miserable. maybe i'm just a softie._


	14. Initial

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**word prompt - initial**_

* * *

I stand in front of my closet, tapping my lip absently.

Edward has already seen me in my finest, so he knows I clean up nicely. Dressing nicely is a habit, anyway; I do it for work and it has started carrying over in to even my casual attire. Having little idea of what Edward has in store for the evening, I go with my initial choice: a long sleeved cashmere sweaterdress with a cowl neck. It's cold out, and I want to be warm, but I also want to look nice.

My phone rings as I pull my hair back in to a low bun.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella? It's Edward."

"Hey!" I study my reflection. Besides a little mascara and lip gloss, I've gone natural tonight. "How are you? How was your day?"

"It was fine," he chuckles. The sound makes me feel giddy-girlish. "Low key. I went over some paperwork that needed to be dealt with." He pauses. "Are we still on for tonight?"

"Definitely."

"Great! Ah, around what time?"

I laugh quietly. In our daze the evening before we hadn't even bothered to make proper plans. It is a miracle we had the presence of mind to exchange phone numbers and last names.

"I'm actually already dressed, Edward." It's comfortable to admit this to him, because I can see now he feels like I do.

"Perfect. I'm on my way. Give me the address again? I'll put it in my GPS."

I give him the address and he promises to see me soon.

Having nothing else to do, I dial Alice. She doesn't answer, so I leave a voicemail, letting her know about my date with Edward. Would this be considered our second date? Or first official?

Rose doesn't answer her phone either. It's a good thing I have plans for the night, because had I been in the mood to go out the girls would have been of no help. Pacing, I neaten up, straightening the throw pillows on my couch and tossing junk mail in to the recycling box beneath my sink. Right as I consider dusting, my doorbell rings.

Another look in the mirror, the one in the hallway this time. I look good.

After checking the peephole, I open the door to a smiling Edward. This was where I saw him last, only he'd been saying goodbye then. Now he's saying hello, and sweet feelings flutter through me. I feel like I know him already, which was insane. One day and one night of conversation and kissing hardly mean I know the man.

I want to know him, though.

"Wow," he says, his eyes running over me appreciatively, but not inappropriately. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks." I gesture for him to come in. "So do you."

"Are you just saying that to be polite?" he murmurs, his eyes twinkling.

I want to kiss him that very second, so I do. Taking a deep breath, I close the door behind him and press my lips to his. His lips are warm, and he responds, just barely kissing back.

"No, I meant it," I say once we're apart.

The lighthearted glint in his eye has been replaced by something of a smolder. He takes my hands in his and links our fingers. It is innocent, almost affectionate, but it speaks to me of more intimate things.

"Well. Thank you," he says.

I nod, searching those dark-light eyes. There was so much between us, tension, unsaid things, wants, but surprisingly, not awkwardness.

He nods toward the door, tugging on me a bit. "Shall we?"

I squeeze his hands and let go. Slipping in to a coat, I grab my purse and follow Edward out the door.

We make small talk as we head downtown. I like sushi and so does he, so without further deliberation we head to a cozy spot the both of us are familiar with. My office orders from there every now and then, but it's been a while since I've actually dined there.

Over sake we delve in to the shallow and then deeper things; maybe the alcohol has loosened our tongues.

He's 33. I'm 28.

He works in finances, I work in law.

He's the youngest of three, I'm an only child.

He rents but is ready to own. He's been looking at houses over the last several months, but nothing has felt right. I would wonder why he doesn't already own, but then he tells me he did once.

He got rid of the house when he and his wife of four years split.

I nod politely and pop more edamame in to my mouth, trying not to show how caught off guard I am.

"Say something," he says.

Our eyes meet; his are cautious, vulnerable.

Swallowing, I wipe my hands on a napkin. I take another sip of sake.

"I'm just… surprised. You don't seem… I don't know. Like you have baggage." I shrug, trying to articulate exactly what I mean. "You don't seem old enough to be divorced, but I guess you are."

I sound like a rambling idiot so I stop there.

"We got married young," he admits, drawing his finger in circles on the tablecloth. "But... after a while we drifted apart. I was doing my thing, she was doing hers, and then she wanted kids." He pauses, looking intently at me.

His gaze burns, but I return it, wanting to prove I'm ready for whatever it is he has to say. "And you didn't want kids?" I ask quietly, when he doesn't continue.

"I can't have kids," he says. Now he's the one sipping sake.

This is heavy conversation for a second-first date.

But then I reach across the table and quiet his hand with my own.

There isn't anything I can say, really. _Oh, it's fine if you can't have kids._ I mean, really? What if he wants them? Or what if he doesn't want them, but it makes him feel unwhole because he doesn't have the option?

Or maybe he thinks I will think less of him, that I will find him less appealing as a potential boyfriend or something. A potential match.

But none of that matters to me. I just want him. I know there is a lot we have to discuss if we get serious – and I think we will – but for now it is enough and I'm all right.

Something in my face makes him smile, and that makes me smile.

"Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me." I'm shy when I say this, because the words sound kind of corny, but I mean it.

He nods, glancing around the restaurant before focusing on me again. "I don't know if that makes a difference…"

"It doesn't." I look at the table. "At all. I've never met anyone like you."

"I don't really date, Bella. Not a lot. But I want to date you."

My heart skips in my chest. "I'd like that."

Our food arrives, and we don't speak much after that.

Well, not with words. But his eyes and my eyes… they just can't shut up.


	15. Tube

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**word prompt - tube**_

* * *

Alice and I were on our second glass of wine by the time Rose showed up.

"Ugh, sorry I'm late," she said, sliding in to the circular booth we were sitting in.

"It's cool," I said, kissing her cheek. I was happy to see her. Throughout the years we'd always gone through times of busyness and peace, work, school, relationships… but we always came back together. I'd missed having girl's night, I realized.

"What're you having?" she asked, nodding toward our wine glasses.

"A nice Riesling. It's great with the crab cakes," Alice said, pushing the little plate of appetizers toward Rose.

"Awesome; I'm starved," Rose said.

I paired a slice of lox with one of the fancy schmancy crackers they'd come with. "We can order more; we've been kind of grazing…"

We caught up for a while, the conversation segueing naturally from one thing to another. Eventually, though, it ended up on me.

"How've you been?" Rose asked, focusing on me. She had this way of looking at you that made you feel naked, like regardless of what you tried to keep hidden, she'd see it.

I shrugged. "I've been okay."

"Really?"

I knew without looking, by the rather loaded silence, that she and Alice were likely exchanging glances.

Sighing, I wiped my hands and sat back. "Really. I mean, whatever. There's nothing I can do about it. He's not coming back."

Alice grabbed my hand. "Why don't you go to him?"

"What?" I made a face. "Go to him? He left!"

"But you guys have been talking non-stop..." Alice argued.

"So?"

"So maybe his decision to leave was more to do with feeling stagnant than not wanting you," Rose said,

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked.

Rose shrugged. "Just telling you like it is. Like it might be, anyway. You said yourself things had been different between you two. And you know how ambitious Edward is."

"Why are you standing up for him?" I muttered, turning my attention to the stage. A woman with a beautiful voice was up there now, crooning about lost love. Fitting.

"Because you guys were so good for so long. This is obviously really affecting you," Alice said.

"You two have been discussing me, haven't you?" I sighed in resignation.

They answered in unison. "Yes."

"Well, he's on a work date tonight," I said.

Alice's face fell. "What does that even mean?"

"Exactly." I speared a cherry tomato on my fork and popped it in to my mouth. "I told him he needed to make some new friends he could talk to about crap like this, because I'm not trying to hear it. I mean really."

"Yeah, that's pretty lame," Rose agreed.

"I'm pretty sure he tried to email me back but I ignored it."

"Why?" Alice asked, almost annoyed. "Did you delete it?"

"No, I just haven't read it yet."

Rose grabbed my purse and dug around, finding my phone. "Read it."

"Why are you two so concerned with this?" I huffed, snatching my phone.

"Because, dummy, all you do is mope around, watch the boob tube and email your quasi ex," Rose said wryly. "An intervention was necessary."

"Is that was this is?" I asked.

"It is now. Check your emails."

I gulped down the rest of my wine and accessed my email account. The email was from Edward, as I'd suspected. Taking a deep breath, I opened it.

_It's not really life that. It's just this girl from work. It's FOR WORK. We'll be discussing spreadsheets and accounts. If you want the truth, I think she likes me. If you want more truth, I find her attractive but I'm still in love with my ex girlfriend, who I've missed since before I left._

_But I won't bother you with this anymore. The last thing I want is for you to be miserable. _

_Maybe I messed up by leaving, but I did what I felt I needed to you. I didn't want to resent you or our relationship, and that's what might have happened had I turned down the promotion._

_I don't even know. I'm not making sense._

Tears swam in my eyes. I wiped impatiently at them, remembering belatedly my mascara.

"Oh, babe," Alice cried, scooting closer. "What did he say?"

Wordlessly, I handed her the phone.

Rose looked at me, eyebrows raised. "Don't tell me he frigged things up that bad."

I shook my head. Our waiter wandered up to the booth, bottle of wine in hand. "Can I get you ladies another glass?"

"Just leave the bottle," I said. "Please."

Rose grabbed the phone once Alice was finished and scanned the email.

"See?" she said, handing to back to me. "Miserable. The both of you. Go to him."

I didn't have any pride left, so that wasn't the issue. I was worried more about my heart.

If I was honest with myself, though, I wasn't doing too well in the heart department either. Something had to give; someone.

Guess it was going to be me.


	16. Lodge

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - "Heart" (Crystal Beachin')**_

_**word prompt - lodge**_

_**dialogue flex - "Hey!" she protested.**_

* * *

Alice had cooking duty that first night. Bella stood off to one side of the counter, preparing cookie dough for dessert.

Rose was still passed out on the couch, but she was starting to come around.

"Ugh, what time is it?" she groaned.

"Six," Bells said, cracking an egg in to the bowl.

"So much for going back to the beach," Rose mumbled, getting to her feet. "I think I'm burnt anyway."

Alice popped a slice of cucumber in to her mouth. "Yeah, you're kinda pink."

Rose tousled her hair, shaking sand out all over the tile. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Oh, Ro – the guys brought your sunglasses back," Bella said.

"What? Who… which guys? The ones from the beach?"

"Yes. The construction workers."

Rose smiled coyly, retrieving her shades from the table. "Ooh," she purred. "How'd they know we lived here?"

Bella shrugged. "Said they saw you earlier."

"Oh?" Rose frowned. She turned to go upstairs but then whipped around, her already pink face now flaming tomato red. "Wait_,WHAT?"_

Bella glanced at Alice, confused.

"They said they saw us earlier. We saw them working on the condos right across the street. They were the ones playing music, Bella," Rose gasped. "THEY SAW ME SHAVING MY COOCH!"

Alice coughed, nearly spewing her soda.

"Well, I warned ya, didn't I?" Bella said primly, secretly wildly amused that Rose's dabbling in exhibitionism had caught up with her.

"Oh, shut it," Rose grumbled, leaving the room.

"What happened?" Alice giggled.

"You know the window seats we inexplicably have in our showers?" Bella asked. "They face the street. Rose was sitting on it, shaving down _there_. With the curtains open."

"That's awesome," said Alice, wiping her hands on a dishrag. "Okay, this manicotti is ready. I'm gonna pop it in the oven."

Bella nodded absently, her mind back on Edward. He had really given her something to think about, with his fantasmic smile and cute little nose. And his hair. His. Hair. It was God-given. Bella didn't want to seem slutty, but she'd totes go to second base with Edward – probably even third.

Maybe even a home run.

* * *

The doorbell rang.

It was twelve thirty three - a.m. The girls glanced questioningly at each other.

Rose and Alice were watching TV but Bella was on her lap top, and from her vantage point she could see the front door.

"Maybe it's the boys!" Alice whispered excitedly.

Bella frowned, squinting. The door had narrow glass windows on either side with sheer curtains, and through them she could see that while their late night visitors were boys, they weren't The Boys.

"Um… I don't know who that is, you guys," Bella said, rising as the doorbell rang again.

Rose jumped up and charged the door.

"Hello?"

"Hey thur grrrl," a voice slurred.

Alice and Bella quickly flanked Rose. "Hi."

"We were jus' wonderin' if you wanted to hang out… good times, good times," he continued. "We're stayin' in the house next door."

"Uh, we don't even know you. What's your name?" Bella asked, already becoming impatient.

"I'm Mike. This is Tyler n' Eric n' Benji." He motioned to the dudes standing behind him. All four of them were swaying and holding plastic red cups, and one was double fisting with a cup _and_ a beer bottle.

"Well, Mike, it's a little late, dontcha think?" Rose asked. It was past midnight. What kind of party did these idiots think was going on?

"But you're the girls next door," he chortled. The peanut gallery giggled drunkenly behind him.

Rose rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest.

"Are you Arthur?" Mike asked.

"Arthur?"

"Arthur… you know… Arthurs. Are you Arthurs?"

Rose glanced at Bella and Alice, who shook their heads in mutual confusion.

"Who the hell is Arthur?" Rose snapped.

"Arthur! You know, you write…books…"

"Authors?" Alice laughed.

"Yeah, 's what I said."Mike gestured impatiently, sloshing liquid out of his cup. "You were writing…" He pointed at Bella, his gaze getting caught on her boobs.

Bella grimaced, standing behind Rose. "I was emailing."

"Oh."

Rose sighed loudly, stepping back, causing the girls to step back too. "All right, Arthur, we'll see you later. Tomorrow or something. We're not coming out and… you can't come in, so…yeah."

"Name's Mike."

"Whatever."

Mike and Co. swayed collectively.

"Okay? Good night." Rose shut the door and double locked it.

"Ew," Alice snickered as they walked back in to the living area. "What cheesedicks."

"I know, right?" Rose sniffed. "Future sleaze of America."

"I can't believe they came over here!" Bella cried. "That kind of creeps me out."

"Don't even worry about it. Everything's locked and we'll set the alarm before bed," Alice said soothingly. "They're probably harmless, anyway,"

"Can you imagine if they'd been the ones to see your cooch?" snorted Bella, clapping Rose on the back.

Rose shuddered. "Oh, vom."

* * *

Emmett finished his set of bicep curls and sauntered in to the kitchen, where Edward and Jasper were attempting to assemble tacos.

"Dude, the directions said to brown the meat and then add water."

"What? Frig that. I added oil. And seasoning."

"Dude. It's gonna taste like crap."

"Dude. I know what I'm doing. I used to watch my mom make this all the time."

"Dude. There's a difference between watching and doing."

"Dude –"

"Both of you, shut up before I lodge my foot up your asses!" roared Emmett with a look of disgust. "Neither of you know what you're doing. That's why we need chicks."

"See, that's why you're single," Jasper said. "Cuz you're a sexist douche."

"Yeah? And why are you single, numb nuts?" Emmett retorted. "Anyway, what I meant was we could all use the nurturing touch of a woman…"

"Nurturing touch, huh?" chuckled Edward. He'd heard all about the pole dancing pixie and the window stripping blonde. He had to wonder what kind of nurturing the boys really had in mind.

"Yeah, and get your mind out of the gutter," said Emmett, thinking fondly of Blondie's cherry pop tart.

"Anyway, I'm hungry and that smells like ass," Emmett announced, throwing a t-shirt on. "Let's go find food."

Jasper sighed dramatically and clicked the burner off. "Fine."

"I'll drive," Emmett said. He wanted to drive by the girl's house. Hopefully someone would be doing something in one of the windows.

* * *

The next morning, Bella woke up around nine. She luxuriated in the soft sheets for awhile, thinking about the day ahead. Now that she knew Edward was friends with the construction workers, she had high hopes that he too would be working on the condos. She secretly planned on tastefully flaunting herself.

Downstairs, Alice had started her morning workout to Britney Spears' "I'm a Slave 4 U". Bella secretly loved that song; she felt it perfectly expressed how she felt as an innocent yearning to burst free. She'd gladly be Edward's love slave…secretly, of course.

She'd just buttered her toast when Rose came downstairs, dressed in a sheer pink beach cover up and bikini. The bottoms were narrow they were almost a thong.

"Morning," Bella choked, trying not to stare at Rose's ass cheeks.

"Morning, doll face," Rose said, swiping Bella's toast.

Bella grabbed for it, but Rose was already halfway done. "Hey," she protested. "Make your own!"

"Nope," Rose giggled, leaving only crust on the plate. "Aw, I'll make you a piece," she said, tugging Bella's ponytail.

The girls finished making breakfast and then sat out on the patio to eat. Alice slid off her pole and joined them, using a remote to turn her music off.

And not a moment too soon. Because as they tucked in to their eggs and toast, the sultry sounds of "The Thong Song" echoed across the street from the condos.

* * *

_just so you know, i love that britney song. it makes me feel very frisky._


	17. Lift

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - "beginning"**_

_**word prompt - lift**_

* * *

Edward lay awake in bed, staring into the darkness. The digital clock beside his bed glowed blue; eleven thirty four.

He'd been having earlier nights than usual. Before, he'd have spent the time with his roommates, at their favorite local bar or downstairs watching TV.

Or he'd have been calling Bella, inviting her over or going to see her.

But now he couldn't see Bella, and he had little desire to hang out with the guys. He'd finished work early that day and wanted nothing more than to stay in bed. He was tired – mentally, emotionally.

Yet here he was, wide awake.

Several times he reached for his phone, seeking the comfort of her voice. This wasn't really an option, however. He knew that, and he didn't like it.

He was beginning to see that his emotional involvement with Bella had run deeper than he'd realized. Since they'd stop seeing one another, his feelings had not abated but intensified. He wanted to believe that this was simply a product if absence causing the heart to go fonder, but in his heart he suspected much more.

Eventually his feelings won out and he picked up his phone, dialing her number by memory.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me. Edward."

"I know. I recognized the number."

"Right... I'm not calling too late, am I?

"Not really, just reading."

"Cool…"

There was uncomfortable silence.

Bella stretched out on her bed. She was surprised Edward had called. She liked it, liked hearing his voice and knowing that she seemed to be on his mind. Still, it didn't change much between them. Sometimes she could see the intensity on his eyes when he looked at her, but it never carried over in to any sort of commitment between them. What was the point of having feelings if you couldn't, or wouldn't, try to have a real relationship?

She didn't know what she wanted, but it wasn't what they'd had.

Edward sighed audibly, causing the phone to crackle slightly with static. "I miss you, Bella."

Bella's chest constricted. "I miss you, too."

"Do you want to do something, maybe? Tomorrow?"

"No."

Edward nodded to himself. He didn't know why he'd even asked.

"Do you understand why I can't see you, Edward?"

"Yes," he said, shutting his eyes.

"Why are you calling me?" Bella asked gently, setting her book down.

"I can't stop thinking about you."

Another silence stretched between them.

"Why won't you let me in?"

Edward shook his head. "I don't know, Bella."

She grew frustrated, desperate. "That's crap. You see, this is crap. I was tired of it then and I'm tired of it now. I'm not going to pretend I don't have really intense feelings for you – because I do – but this back and forth is bull. You need to get your act together. I'm sorry."

"I know!" Edward cried, sitting up straight. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing his hand roughly over his face. "I know. I just… I miss having you in my life. Even as a friend."

He knew she deserved an explanation. Even if he didn't really know why he was the way he was, if he could even express that to her, it might help.

Bella thought about the things Tanya had said, wondering if they had any merit. Even if they did, should it matter?

"You want to go back to being friends?" she asked, uncertain. It had been less than a month since they'd split.

"Yes."

"You can give me a lift tomorrow, then," she said quietly. "To the mechanic's. My car is there. I had to take it in yesterday."

"I can do that," he agreed. "Before or after classes?"

"Before. So I can have it for the day, if that's all right."

"That's fine. When's your first class?"

"Ten," Bella said.

Edward's was at nine thirty, but he wouldn't tell her that. Missing one class of many was hardly a problem. There was very little he wouldn't do for her.

"I'll be there."

"Okay." Bella yawned, the late hour catching up with her. "Thanks."

"Bella."

"Hm?"

"Sleep well."

She smiled. "You too."

She didn't know if spending time with Edward was the best idea, but maybe she could get to know him in other ways. She wasn't strong enough to maintain distance when he was trying so hard to close it, but she knew she could keep boundaries up if need be.

And in time, perhaps she would figure him out.

* * *

_this was yesterday's. fell asleep. lo siento!_


	18. Chocolate

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**word prompt - chocolate**_

* * *

Neither of us wants to go home after dinner, but it's a work night and there isn't much to get in to.

When we pull in to my parking lot, I know I want to invite Edward inside. I'm confident that we can do this right. I trust him, and he obviously trusts me. It's obvious, after the discussion we had at dinner. I know there are details he hasn't yet told me, but that's okay. We have time for that.

As cheesy and cliché as it sounds, the best things truly are worth waiting for; they take time. I want to take time with Edward.

Like before, he opens my door for me.

"Will you stay a bit?" I ask as we make our way up the walk.

He nods, smiling a little. I know we're both thinking the same things, feeling the same things as me. It is in the way he lingers near me, the way I can feel his warmth although that's impossible when it's this cold outside.

Inside, I show Edward to the couch and turn the heat on. I'm glad I straightened up earlier.

I love my home. Even though it's just a rental, I've been in it for a couple of years now and it's really become a home. When I'd first graduated from college the thought of living alone scared me, but I find it suits me. My friends live close enough so that we can see each other when we want, and although my parents are a couple of states away, they visit.

"How about a hot chocolate?" I ask from the kitchen.

His voice startles me when it's nearer than I expect. He kisses my neck softly; he's smiling.

"Hot chocolate's good."

"I like it with Bailey's," I say. He makes my heart speed up, and I love it.

Like the gentleman he is, he gives me space and sits at the counter, on a bar stool, watching me. Aware of his eyes on me, my skin prickles in to goose bumps and I think my nipples have hardened as well.

Soon we're back on the couch, sipping our sweet, talking about this winter and how it will probably snow tonight or maybe tomorrow.

Winter is hard on me; I love snow but not the cold. A conundrum. Edward loves the cold but the snow. He says it's pretty to look at but not to drive in, and definitely not to shovel.

My neighbor, Mike, often shovels my walk. I tell Edward this and his eyes sparkle as he shakes his head.

"Mike sounds like a nice guy."

"He is," I agree, licking a swoop of cream in to my mouth.

"I wish I had pretty girls to shovel snow for living next to me," he continues.

"You said you didn't like shoveling snow," I say, smiling. The hot chocolate and Bailey's have made me more warm and mellow inside, twin warmths of temperature and alcohol.

He just nods, his smile fading, our conversation fading.

I know he wants to kiss me, then, and I want to kiss him too. Setting my mostly empty cup aside, I scoot closer to him. He sits his cup on the floor and reaches for me, helping me.

Our mouths meet right on time; same pace, same rhythm, same tempo. I wonder if our hearts have the same beat, too.

His hands are hot from the cup; mine probably are, as well.

We kiss for so long that I lose track of self and time. There is nothing besides this cozy couch and his firm hands and his lips, long having lost their cocoa flavor. It's been kissed away, licked away, tasted away.

"I have to work tomorrow," he says, regret on his face when he pulls away. He kisses my forehead and sits back, his hands now holding mine.

"Me too." I struggle to stand, and then I help him. We walk to the door, where we kiss again.

The night is cold; it smells like snow.

* * *

In the morning, the light in the room is different. Glowing, almost.

Yawning, I step to the window.

There is snow. A good amount; it must have started falling around when I went to sleep the night before.

I turn the television on as I get ready, listening for weather and traffic reports. Snow makes me giddy, like a little girl.

Soon it's time for me to go, and I pour my coffee in to a to-go cup. There are two mugs in the sink, and my heart flip-flops with memories.

The walk has been shoveled, and surprisingly, my windshield has been scraped.

There's a note tucked in to the handle of my car door.

_I'll be shoveling your snow from now on._

_Be safe._

_I'll see you tonight?_

_Edward_


	19. Resort

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt - resort**_

* * *

_I don't want to lose you. If you loved me, why did you leave?_

Late night, and I was a little loose-tongued thanks to the several bottles of wine I'd shared with Alice and Rose at the lounge. I drummed my fingers impatiently on the desk, wondering if he was even awake. And if he was, if he was online.

He was.

_I told you, this promotion meant a lot to me. I didn't want to not take it and then resent you. If something great came up for your job, wouldn't you have taken a chance?_

My response was immediate.

_Not without you._

He didn't reply right away, and I knew I had him.

_You love Seattle. I didn't think you'd want to leave._

I huffed to myself, making a face at the screen. Seriously? _We could've talked about it._

_We didn't talk about a lot of things in the end, Bella. You didn't really want to._

I flinched; he was right. _I was too afraid of losing you and I did anyway so I'm trying a different tactic._

_What do you want me to do?_

I took a deep breath. I was just going to throw it out there. _Pick me up from the airport, Friday at 9pm._

_Are you serious?_

Had my fingernails not been bitten down to the quick, I'd have gnawed on them some more.

_Yes._

_What airline?_

_American_

_What would you have done if I wasn't able to make it?_

_What would have kept you? More work dates? Or God knows what else?_

I sent the last message before I'd really taken the chance to consider what I was trying to say. Then I decided that it was how I felt, and there was no point in being polite. Frig polite. Love was war and all that.

_I'll be there at 9._

_Ok._

_How long will you stay?_

_The weekend, leave Sunday night._

_Ok._

I squinted at that little word, trying to figure out if it was a relieved "Ok" or a disappointed one. Guess there was little point in trying to decipher Edward through a Gchat conversation. I'd be seeing his face soon enough.

_I'm going to bed. _ I yawned, sort of hoping he'd try to keep me online.

_Me too. Thanks, Bella._

_For what?_

_For not going to bed mad at me._

My heart melted a little. I wanted to hate the hold he had on me, but I couldn't.

* * *

Alice thought I was nuts to just hop a plane and go see Edward, but she loved "the romance of it all". She was incurably romantic. It was rather shocking, to both her and me, that the ever-pragmatic Rose had been the one to suggest the trip.

Then again, maybe cutting through the crap and confronting Edward was pragmatic – for our relationship.

I wasn't sure what I would've done had Edward expressed he didn't want me to come. Initially, I wasn't even going to tell him, but then I decided that was silly. I'd never even been to Phoenix; I had no idea what to expect or where to go. I had his mailing address, which I assumed was also his physical address, but in the end I decided that sneaking over in a taxi was a last resort.

I preferred knowing he wanted me to come. Or, at least, was not opposed to the idea.

None of that took care of the nervousness, though. I couldn't help but feel like, while he'd been running toward an opportunity, he'd also been running from me.

He seemed so open to staying close, long distance. I wondered what it would be like when we were close in proximity. Would it be awkward? Would we fall in to old behavioral patterns?

"You're quiet," Rose remarked, taking the exit that led to the airport.

I nodded, fiddling with the zipper on my bag. I'd stuck the bedside photo of us in there at the last minute. Sentimental fool.

"You're doing the right thing, I think," she continued.

"I think so, too," I said softly.

For the first time since Edward left a tiny sprout of hope was blooming in my heart. I was near overcome with anxiety, but at least I wasn't depressed.

I supposed a lot was riding on the two days ahead of me.

The airport drop off area loomed a lot faster than I'd been prepared for. I hugged Rose good bye and carried by lightweight little suitcase into check-in.

Once I was seated at the gate, I shot Edward a quick text. "_Boarding in ten. See you soon."_

His message back was prompt. _I'll be there. _


	20. Spray

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/ Crystal Beachin'**_

_**prompt - spray**_

* * *

The girls were determined to make the most of their last few free days.

Not like life was gonna be oh-so-hard for the rest of the summer, but they were expected to work pretty solid hours at the restaurant. That was cool though – it meant money in their pockets and food in their bellies. And yeah, they'd still have time to play during off-hours.

But for now, waitressing was still floating off in the near distance and all they had to worry about was sun block. And the pesky sand-flies that seemed to be hovering near the shore really early and really late in the day. Nothing got your butt off the beach faster than having it bitten to death.

After breakfast and a litany of fantastically vulgar songs courtesy of the man-boys across the street, the girls trekked over to the beach. They were better prepared this time: Rose carried the umbrella and towels, Bella had the food and drinks, and Alice brought up the rear with sun block, bug spray and a little radio.

As to be expected, the boys whistled as the girls passed. Bella glanced subtly up to see if Edward was with the other two and sure enough, he was there, leaning over a railing.

Totally staring back.

Even across the distance shimmering with tropical heat, Bella could see the electric amazingness of his super-green eyes. It made her sparkle inside every time he looked at her like that. Her heart – and other areas – quivered.

And then she tripped.

Thankfully Rose was right in front of her, so she didn't completely fall on to her face, but still.

"Dammit, Bella," hissed Rose, elbowing her friend back to standing. "At least pretend to be cool."

"Oh shove it, Window Woman," snarled Bella, her face hot and red. She didn't even look back to see if Edward had seen her embarrassing moment; he probably had and well, that just sucked.

Thankfully the trio made it to their spot without any more incidents.

"Oh, hell no," Alice sighed.

Bella squinted at her, sliding a pair of sunglasses on. "What?"

"Those tools from last night are already here," she said, nodding toward the water.

Sure enough, Arthur/Mike and Co. had set up camp on the tiny sand bar about fifteen feet offshore. They had umbrellas and a cooler, and by the smell of things, an abundance of ganja.

"Wow," Rose said, staring in thinly veiled disgust. "They're even more loser-y in the day. How old do you think they are?"

"Don't know, don't care," Bella said, helping Alice spread the blanket and towels. "Hopefully they'll leave us alone."

By mid-day, Bella was reconsidering their decision to stay on the beach for so long. They had already taken long strolls up and down the shore, gone swimming, and tanned.

The Arthurs had brought their gear in from the sandbar and set up a little ways down the beach. But it seemed as though they were inching closer. Bella couldn't be sure, but the whiffs of weed were growing stronger, as were the leers.

"They're totally creeping up on us," she told Alice and Rose.

Alice glanced over, shading her eyes. "Yeah, they are. What should we do?"

"Nothing," said Rose. "But if they get too close, I'll go off. I swear."

No sooner had she said it, Mike sauntered over, playing with his happy trail. "Hey, girls," he said, grinning salaciously.

"Hi." The reply was less than enthused.

"Just wondering if you wanted to do some sharing; a little trade off. Noticed you had some treats…we have some beer and weed. Huh? Huh?"

But before the girls could respond, a football came sailing through the air and hit Mike straight in his soft, doughy gut. He caught it with an _oomph_, his bright red face contorted in surprise.

"Holy… OW!"

"Aw, yeah, sorry dude!" Diesel Construction Guy jogged over, clapping Mike on the back. "Didn't even see you. Thanks." He retrieved his ball and right stood in front of Mike, facing the girls. His ridiculously tanned abs were decidedly nicer than the doughy delight of Mike's almost-beer belly. "Sorry we took so long." He winked at Rose, tossing the ball back and forth between his hands.

Mike piped up, barely visible. "Hey man, back off. I was totally asking – "

Diesel made a face, and glanced over his shoulder. "Say it, don't spray it, man." He wiped at his back.

Mike huffed for a couple of minutes before walking off. Meanwhile, Edward and the Blond joined Diesel.

"Hi, I'm Jasper. This is Emmett and this is Edward," the Blond said, waving politely.

"Hi." The response this time was a lot more inviting. How convenient; three guys and three girls! How serendipitous, thought Bella.

Edward smiled at her. She secretly began plotting ways in which she could seduce him. Exhibitionist shaving and pole dancing were out of the question; Rose and Alice were better suited for such things. Perhaps Edward was a simple guy who liked simple girl next door types. He'd certainly been sending signals the day before. She could keep it subtle: a flash of panties, going bra-less. Maybe…

"Well, don't just stand there; sit," Rose purred, patting the spot next to her.

There wasn't that much room on the blanket, but they managed to make room for the boys. Even sweaty and smelly and in need of showers, these were the types of man-boys the girls needed in their summer-lives.

Edward turned to Bella, pushing his hand through his hair. "So, what's up?"

"Nothing… what's up with you?"

"Nothing…"

They smiled coyly at one another.

"So… do you live here all year?" Bella asked, subtly positioning her arms to create cleavage.

"No, but we come down every year. We live in LA."

"Louisiana?"

"No, Los Angeles." His eyes zeroed in on Bella's boobs like twin honing devices.

"Oh, right. That's so cool!" Now that Edward was actually noticing, Bella felt a little self conscious. She straightened up, biting her lip. "We're from Washington."

He finally looked back at her face. "D.C.?"

"No, state."

"West coast," he said, smiling. Bella wondered if he used Crest White Strips. "Like us. Awesome. So what brings you to Destin?"

"We're working at Rose's aunt's restaurant," Bella said. "The Seashack?"

"Got crabs?" Edward winked.

Bella blinked, appalled. "What?"

"Got crabs. It's on the Seashack's sign," explained Edward.

"Oh! Yeah." She blushed, tucking her legs up under her as she reached for a wine cooler. "D'you want one?"

Edward preferred manlier drinks, but he didn't want to be rude. He was thirsty, anyway. "Sure, thanks."

Rose let out a delighted squeal from her side of the blanket. Emmett was such a hottie, and apparently he could grill like nobody's business. He did most of the cooking at the house, and now he was offering to prepare grilled fish and kabobs for the girls later on.

"We'd love it, right?" she simpered, elbowing Alice.

Alice was a little too lost in Jasper's baby blues to notice much else, so she just nodded in agreement.

"What special talents do you have?" she asked sweetly, imagining her hands in his sunshiny blond hair.

Jasper grinned, dazzling Tiny Dancer with his dimples. "That's for me to know and you to find out."  
Frankly, he didn't think he had any talents besides wrestling in the bed, but he'd let Alice know that a more appropriate time.

Well, there was one thing.

"I can tie cherry stems in to knots," he said, remembering. "With my tongue."

"Lucky for you," Alice said, rooting through the cooler. "We have cherries."

"What are the chances?" Jasper asked, popping the stem in to his mouth.

"Indeed."

Seconds later, he procured the knotted stem from his mouth.

Alice clapped her hands in glee. "That was bloody brilliant!" she exclaimed.

Jasper smiled modestly. If she thought that was cool, wait'll she saw what other things his tongue could do.


	21. Enchantment

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - "beginning"**_

_**prompt - enchantment**_

* * *

Bella had just finished her toast and coffee when she heard the knock at the front door.

It was Edward. He'd called to say he was on his way, so she was ready for him.

She quickly put her plate and mug in to the sink and went to answer the door. Edward smiled, started to take a step forward, and then stopped as if he was unsure about coming inside.

"Come in, it's cold," Bella said.

Her house was warm and smelled of cozy mornings: coffee, cinnamon, pine. The smell was always changing, depending on what sorts of foods the girls were cooking or candles they were burning.

Contrarily, Edward's house was somewhat void of smells. This was good, he supposed, because living with a group of other guys could've resulted in some really disgusting odors but everyone was pretty clean. The days of hard partying were, for the most part, behind them. They all worked jobs in addition to attending school.

Basically, he had a place to sleep. Bella had herself a home.

"You okay there?" Bella asked, noticing Edward's blank expression.

He nodded. "Smells good in here."

"Did you want coffee? I can grab you a cup…"

Edward shook his head. "No, I'm okay. Thanks. I'm ready when you are."

Bella nodded. "Let me go brush my teeth real quick and we can head out."

In the car, Bella was reminded of how she'd first fallen for Edward, way back. Even now she tried not to look at him too much. Things were still raw and new. She knew that though they had broken up, the bond between them was still very real, and that a false step could land her right back where she didn't want to be.

There were specific reasons why she'd called things off, and to go back now would ruin any progress.

So they spoke lightly of general things: classes and jobs and post-graduation. Bella was considering moving back home. Not back to her tiny hometown, but at least to the same state. Edward thought he might stay in the city; his job was good and at the rate the business was growing he had the potential to really make a name – and maybe a life – for himself.

Neither of them wanted to admit it, but the knowledge that they might be separated at the end of the year struck a nerve.

Edward could see the caution with which Bella handled their interactions.

She had always been observant and considerate; had never clung to him or pushed him or made him feel suffocated. No, she'd always known when to stay close and when to keep her distance.

But this was different. There were very real lines between them now, and once again he mourned the loss of their closeness, and yes, their intimacy.

Still, Edward knew he would not push her. He didn't deserve her, and to try and beguile her back in to a physical relationship would be selfish and wrong. Bella wanted more than that, and actually… so did he.

After picking her car, Bella had left to go to class. Edward had gone to class too, slipping in silently and sitting in the back since he was so late. He listened to the lecture but his mind was on her: guarded brown eyes and reluctant smiles. It was funny, really. He was so taken by Bella, so caught up in her unintentional enchantment, that the distance between them only drew him to her more.

Snow melted. Days spun into weeks, which stretched into months. Spring came.

Alice and Bella delighted in the warmer, clear weather. The landscape was bright once again, vibrant greens against the bluest skies. They kept their windows wide open when they were home, wanting to absorb as much outside as possible.

With spring came Alice and Jasper's relationship. Bella was delighted that they'd finally given in; they were perfect together.

Meanwhile, things were somewhat stagnant with Edward. For awhile, they had started to get close again, often meeting at the café after class for coffee, meals and discussion. But then he had started to fade again and Bella, all too familiar with the mood swings, backed off immediately. She knew that the demands of his job and schoolwork could be extremely demanding, but there was another, less tangible pulling away that she could sense.

And then one night he was there when she got off of her shift at the café. Edward was standing on the sidewalk, like he'd been waiting for her. Bella wasn't sure why he hadn't just come inside, but something about the expression on his face told her that he was going through something.

"Edward?"

He looked at her, smiling faintly. "Hey. I… hoped I could talk to you."

Bella nodded. "Where?"

"Anywhere. Your place, mine…"

"You can come over," Bella offered, shrugging. "Alice and Jasper will be there soon, but we can talk for a bit."

"I'll follow you there," Edward said. "There are things I want to tell you."

Bella's heart leapt; maybe now he would open up to her. "I'd like that."


	22. Conversation

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompts - conversation, fall, loop**_

* * *

We spend evenings together, taking turns preparing dinner. Sometimes we watch movies, other times we simply watch the snow. He says I make his house warmer, and while that's corny, the sentiment is sweet. I feel the same way when he is at mine.

He has this thing for good wine, so every time we meet he introduces me to a new one. I've always enjoyed wine, but my knowledge about it is admittedly elementary. I tease him, calling him a wine snob, and he smiles, knowing I tend to follow my jabs with kisses.

It's easy being with him, which I love. It's not even that we have everything in common, because we don't. I mean, there are some things we both like – sushi, sweets, quiet nights at home – but that's where it ends. (And while we both like wine, I have a preference for white while he always goes for red. Even then, it depends on what we're eating.)

I love watching sports, having grown up with a football junkie for a father. He likes being a participant, and going solo: skiing and hiking.

He likes classical, I much prefer jazz. He likes concerts in parks; I like jam sessions in smoky lounges.

I grew up going to the tiny church in our tiny town with my parents; he has serious questions for God and doubts about organized religion. Even when I explain to him my views on religion being a separate entity than spirituality, he entertains my "theories" with a faint smile and a cock of his head. He listens, but he doesn't quite agree with it all.

And yet, perhaps because when it comes down to it we're both rather mellow people, none of these things rock the boat all that much. It could be that our relationship is new, but it could also be that we do in fact "match" in ways un-seeable by the eye or even unknowable by the mind.

Maybe because, through the course of discourse, we are learning not just about each other but about the world itself through different eyes. I'd rather be with someone from whom I'm different (but get along with) than be with some just like me who bores me.

Anyway, I'm crazy about him. I know I will end up at the park listening to a symphony one afternoon, just as I know he will end up at a football game with me, guzzling beer and eating hot dogs.

We fascinate each other.

Three weeks in to January we have dinner with Rose, Alice and their dates. It is a long, lazy affair at a tapas place. The conversation meanders endlessly… the food is fantastic. Rose's date is dull, albeit intelligent, and Alice's date is funny, albeit ignorant. It's awesome.

Edward and I make eye contact on more than one occasion, and I love that we're seemingly on the same page, reacting to the same things going on around the table.

At home, we kiss at the doorway. The snow continues to fall outside; it has been coming down without respite for days now. Weather reports predict that it will only continue.

"No work tomorrow," I murmur, brushing my cheek against his.

"Nope." He tightens his grip on me.

"Come inside," I say, but it is not all I am saying.

He nods, giving me space so that I can find my keys and unlock the door.

At first, the routine is the same: lights and heat on, coats and shoes off. But then I take him to my room and lie down with him, seeking his warmth and solidity.

We haven't touched one another intimately before now, not besides kisses and over-the-clothing passes. Now we start and we don't stop, on the same page, yes, the way we've been all night.

Underneath heavy blankets we find each other, open and naked. He kisses me and kisses me and I return it for all I've got, and we kiss and press and touch until I'm ready. The best feeling is when he's finally in me, relief and wanting tangled into one.

We make love more than once, waking up in the dark still hot, still needing. The night runs on the sweetest loop, nothing changing but the position of light outside and the position of our bodies inside.


	23. Steadfast

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_unbeta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompts - steadfast**_

_** "I'm yours," he murmured.**_

* * *

I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so nervous.

The end of a flight is always the worst; the plane taxis to a stop, the seatbelt light (and sometimes the air conditioning) goes off, and everyone jumps up, as if queuing impatiently will cause the door to open faster.

Taking deep breaths of stale air, I retrieved my carry-on down from the overhead compartment and got in line.

My phone chirped.

_I'm here, by baggage claim._

_Just landed. See you in a few._

My heart sped up. This was ridiculous; the last time Edward had made me this anxious was during the conversation that eventually led to him asking me out. We'd been so young then, so green.

The line staggered forward and I moved with it, almost hysterical with the abrupt need to hurry.

I followed the signs leading to baggage claim. Apparently, several other flights had come in around the same time as mine, because the airport was a madhouse. Crowds of people milled around, meeting, finding, and rushing.

I saw Edward before he saw me, and even then I could see that he was searching. He looked pretty much the same –he hadn't been gone that long –but his jacket was different. New. I liked it.

A rather large group of students crossed between us, and then he saw me.

His smile nearly took my breath away. I was so, so happy to see him.

"Hey," he said, coming toward me.

I paused, not sure if we were still on hugging terms, but he took my luggage and set it down before wrapping his arms around me.

"Man, am I glad to see you," he said, his nose cold against my ear.

His words confused me, but they also sent me soaring.

"Me too," I whispered past the lump in my throat.

He pulled back, holding my face between his hands. His eyes flashed with something I couldn't quite place. I blinked slowly, forcing back tears, and smiled. "Thank you for letting me come."

Frowning, he let go of me and picked up by bag. "I wanted you to come, Bella. I…"

I glanced at him, wondering what he wanted to say. There had been a time when we'd been on the same page, when our sentences had been shared and our hearts had beaten steadfast and in unison. Somewhere along the way, though, we'd lost that. It was like looking at him from across a canyon, and wanting nothing more than to get to him.

"Do you have bags?" he asked, nodding toward the luggage carousel.

I shook my head, adjusting my purse. "Just that."

He nodded. "Good. It's a circus over there."

"No kidding," I laughed, glad the heaviness had passed for the moment.

"I hope you're hungry… I made dinner reservations."

"I'm starved."

"Good! Me too."

* * *

Dinner was fantastic.

Edward told me all about his new job, and for the first time since he'd left, I listened without resentment. He was doing something he loved, and he was passionate about it.

He admitted to being alone a lot, but not quite lonely. He said he worked too much to think about leisure.

"I hope my being here doesn't throw you off track," I said.

"It probably will, but not in the way you're thinking," he said, shaking his head as he looked down. I watched as a small smile spread across his face, and it warmed me through and through.

"You're such a mystery now," I remarked, finishing my wine. Almost on cue, a waiter appeared with the bottle, asking if I wanted more.

I shook my head, covering the glass. "No, thank you."

The wine was good, but one glass was enough for me. I wanted to be clear headed for any conversations Edward and I might have later on.

I looked back at Edward, who was watching me intently.

"What?" I asked, self conscious.

"You seem… different."

"How?"

He shrugged. "More… open."

"Was I closed before?"

He nodded slowly. "I think we were both a little closed off in the end, there."

I fought the urge to grab his hand. "I don't want to be closed anymore."

* * *

His apartment was sparse, very much a functional living space and nothing more. The picture he'd taken off of our hallway wall was propped beside his bed.

It had been taken at a friend's wedding, two years before. The way we were looking at each other in it, one would think we'd been the ones getting hitched.

"The couch pulls out," Edward said, leaving my bag by his bed. "I can sleep there."

I made a face. "No. I don't want you to sleep there."

His cheeks reddened slightly. He loosened his tie and turned toward the window. "What do you want, then?"

I wanted everything. I wanted him back. I wanted us back, but better.

I crossed over to where he was standing, and turned him around. Besides our hug at the airport, it was the most we'd touched since I'd arrived.

He gazed down at me, his eyes tired and dark in the dim light of the room. I cupped his cheek in my hand, missing the way he felt.

"I want you," I said quietly.

That same expression, the one from the airport, flickered across his face again. Pain, perhaps.

I finished unknotting his tie and began on his buttons. His hands fell to his sides, and then, hesitantly, to my hips.

"I want to be with you," I said, trying to calm the crazy emotions threatening to erupt from me.

He stilled my hands, and pressed me gently against the window. The glass was cool, even through my sweater.

"I'm yours," he murmured.


	24. Magic

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_unbeta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin'**_

_**word prompt - magic**_

* * *

Rose stepped out on to the patio with a tray full of pina coladas.

"I made yours with an extra cherry," she said, handing Emmett his. "The way you said you like."

"Thanks." He switched his spatula to the other hand and accepted the frosty goodness, which was heaven on a hot n' humid night. "Mm-mm. Damn, girl. You know how to make a drink."

Rose batted her eyelashes and smiled faux-modestly before going on to Jasper and Edward. She was wearing what she called her Marilyn, a short white dress with a flared skirt and a plunging neckline. She'd even applied edible body frosting, just in case.

Because it wasn't enough to just look good; you had to taste good too.

The boys had come over around six to get the grilling going. Fresh mahi mahi and veggie kabobs graced the grill while potatoes baked in the oven, filling both the house and patio with the most scrumptious of aromas. Emmett was, at the moment, manning the grill wearing his trademark chef's apron and jeans.

No shirt. He did that especially for Blondie.

Alice was in charge of the potatoes, so she bounced back and forth between the kitchen and chatting with Jasper. Edward sat beside them, trying his best to look interested. Really, he was wondering where Bella was. They'd already been there for a half hour and she had yet to make an appearance.

Alice noticed. "Edward… feel free to go on up and check on her. Sometimes she gets caught up in her emails, you know?"

Edward frowned. Bella was on the computer? "Um…okay. You sure she won't mind?"

But Alice was already re-enraptured with Jasper, showing him her latest tattoo.

Shrugging, Edward got up and went inside. The staircase was directly across, so he ascended them cautiously, calling Bella's name a couple of times to warn her.

He didn't hear her, but he did hear the sounds of a blow dryer and music.

The first bedroom he peeked inside was empty, but the second smelled like peaches and water lilies and strawberries and sorts of edible/floral girly magic.

"Bella?" He pushed the half-open door a bit so he could see inside.

There, dressed in little pink shorts and a little shirt, stood Bella, doing her hair. She was faced away from him, looking at a mirror as she pulled a brush through her long, shimmering brown hair.

Edward didn't get a boner, because he wasn't a middle school pubescent, but he did feel the flutterings of horniness stir deep in his loins. And maybe even his groin.

He moved closer and sniffed, his mouth almost watering at how good this girl looked (and smelled). Bella whirled around and shrieked, flinging the brush away so she could cover herself. It hit Edward square between the eyes and he staggered back on to the bed.

"Oh my gosh ohmygosh ohmygosh I'm soooo sorry!" wailed Bella, rushing over to him.

This kind of crap always happened to her; klutziness was the main Swan trait she'd inherited and loathed.

"It's okay," Edward mumbled, holding his hand to his face.

Suddenly a cool, wet washcloth was over his eyes.

Bella was straddling him, dabbing gently at his face. "Are you okay? You just really scared me…"

"Yeah…sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you. I called for you…"

"Oh, I guess I couldn't hear you over the music," Bella said. Madonna's "Dress You Up" was her favorite getting ready jam and she tended to rock out to it when she was feelin' fly.

Edward was actually better – he doubted he'd bruise or anything – but he was enjoying the feeling of Bella-in-daisy-dukes too much to say so.

"I like your little pant-things," he said, reaching out to touch them.

"Oh crap," she said, jumping off and taking her sweet female warmth with her.

"What?"

Bella didn't respond; instead she pulled her skirt on. The plan had been to flash the boy shorts later on, when she could blame it on drunkenness, not show Edward the whole deal just like that. Damn!

Edward sighed inwardly. There was no point in prolonging the injured act, especially now that Bella had gotten off of him. He stood up, touching his head gingerly. It was sore, but okay.

"Thanks, Bella." He handed her back the washcloth.

"No problem." She smiled sweetly.

"I'll wait for you downstairs," Edward said, taking a step back toward the door. "I didn't know you were still…" He motioned toward the mirror.

"No! No, I'm done. I was just…" _primping for you_ "a little caught up."

* * *

A couple of hours later, after a gluttonous feast and a frenzy of frozen froufrou drinks, the merry six-some ventured back inside to play "I Never."

No one wanted to get so trashed that they'd miss out on the good times, so they stuck with pina coladas and daiquiris instead of taking shots.

"I'll go first," Rose said, to no one's surprise. "I have never kissed a girl."

Needless to say, Emmett, Jasper and Edward all drank.

Emmett cleared his throat. "I have never shaved my crotch."

This was a lie; he just wanted to see who would own up to it.

Rose had the good grace to blush a little as she sipped her drink.

They went in a circle until they got to Bella, who was the last to go. "Um… I never…I've never been out of the country."

Rose rolled her eyes and took a drink. Jasper and Edward did as well.

The group went another couple of rounds, with everyone's I Nevers getting raunchier and more explicit as time went on. Apparently, Jasper had part-timed as a male "dancer" the summer before in Panama City, making him even more of a perfect match for Alice. Emmett was blessed and could have – as well as give— multiple orgasms, and Edward had piercings in special places.

Meanwhile, Bella's admissions were as dull as dishwater.

"I've never shoplifted."

"I've never snuck out."

"I've never cheated on a test."

"Damn, Bella!" cried Rose, sloshing her mango daiquiri. "Give us something good! Jeez!"

"Fine!" Bella got to her feet unsteadily. She may not have done quite as much imbibing as the others, but she was feeling it all right. "I've never been properly, for real kissed! I've never had a kiss that made me tingle down there, okay?"

She downed her drink and stormed out, wincing at the brain freeze.

Alice raised an eyebrow at Edward. "Well, there ya go. Don't need much more of an invitation that that."

Edward got to his feet and stumbled after Bella. She wasn't on the patio. The gate leading to the road was open, though. He went through it and jogged across the empty street, just catching sight of Bella disappearing down the boardwalk. She had to slow down when she got to the beach, and Edward took the opportunity to grab her arm.

Startled, Bella spun around, her fist already flying.

But Edward was ready for it. He grabbed both her hands, pulled her against him, and gave her the kiss of a lifetime.

Operation Seduction was on like popcorn.


	25. Gift

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_unbeta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - gift**_

* * *

Edward pulled his car up right alongside Bella's.

The night was mild. A gentle, cool breeze blew, slightly damp. It had rained earlier and would likely do so again.

Bella unlocked the door and walked inside, motioning for Edward to lock up behind him.

"You want a beer or something?" she asked, shrugging off her cardigan.

He almost refused, but then remembered that Bella and Alice usually had good beer. It could be like before, when they would stay awake and talk till late.

"Sure."

"Blue Moon? I got the Rising Moon yesterday from Whole Foods, for spring."

"Sounds good." He watched her move from the fridge to the counter, popping the caps off of the bottles with the almost affectionate familiarity of someone who does it all the time.

Alice and Jasper walked in to the apartment around the same time Bella and Edward came out of the kitchen. Alice smiled at Edward, because that was how she was, but Jasper's expression was carefully neutral. He would not welcome nor would he shun the other man, but he was cautious. He'd known Bella for years and she was a good girl, deserved good things.

"Hey man," he said, his voice pleasant enough.

"How's it going?" Edward said, smiling a little.

Bella had wanted to talk in the living room, but that wasn't happening. Biting her lip, she touched Edward's arm and nodded toward her room.

It was nothing like it had been before. Edward had always thought of Bella somewhat as a hippie type, with her gauzy, colorful window hangings and incense. But now her room was streamlined and somewhat geometric, with carefully arranged Japanese lanterns in groups and a white bedspread where once had lain a tangle of mismatched blankets.

He'd liked it then, but he loved it now. It was calming.

Bella watched Edward as he took in the changes. In some ways, breaking up with Edward had been a gift because it had forced her from the horrid in-between, the state of waiting and maybe and compromise that had begun to drag down her spirit. There had been sadness, and loneliness, but there had also been a sense of newness and hope. She could do it. She could thrive, and she did.

She'd redecorated for the new year, feeling suffocated by the things that had followed her from high school and surrounded her all through college. Things were neater now, brighter. Clearer. More plants, less stuff.

Springtime.

"I like it," Edward said eventually.

Bella smiled, sitting on her bed. She patted the spot next to her.

"It's so… white. I don't want to get it dirty," he teased, sitting gingerly on the edge.

"You're fine." Bella rolled her eyes and took a sip. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Edward took a long pull of beer, gathering his thoughts. "About… me."

Bella twisted toward him, kicking her sneakers off so she could bring her feet up on to the bed.

"What about you?" she asked gently.

"I know I can be… difficult."

She smiled a little, looking down. "A little."

"It didn't really matter before because, you know. I didn't care. I didn't think I cared so much for you until it became too big to ignore and by that point you were tired of the back and forth."

"Why did you leave me on New Year's, Edward?"

Edward set his bottle on the table next to Bella's bed. "I told you, I was late for work."

"But why really?" she pressed.

He folded his hands and unfolded them. "You were too close."

"I never crowded you."

"No, you never did. It didn't matter, though. You were too close. I let you get close."

"But why is that bad?"

"It sounds trite, but the people who are closest to you are the ones that can hurt you. If I was going to be hurt, I wanted it on my terms, not yours."

"So you hurt me instead," Bella said, exhaling slowly. "And yourself."

Edward nodded. "Sounds dumb when you put it that way."

"That's because it kind of is," she laughed. "I didn't want to hurt you. I cared for you, more than you know. I would have…"

He waited for her to continue, and when she didn't, he tapped her knee. "Would have what?"

"Would have put you first. I would have stayed, stayed with you and stayed in town."

Admitting that was scary, but it felt good too. Cathartic.

"So, you're definitely leaving then?" he asked. "At the end of the year?"

"I don't know. Alice is trying to get me to stay. I could go either way at this point."

They sat in silence awhile, sipping beer and thinking.

"My job takes so much time," Edward said, almost to himself.

"But you like it?"

He nodded. "It's… me, you know? So much of me is in it. I worry there isn't much left of me for anyone else."

"That's an excuse," Bella said, a shrewd gleam in her eye.

"Maybe."

"What are you so scared of?"

"Being alone."

"And so you push everyone away." Frustrated, Bella stood up and walked to her window. "You'll always be alone if you keep on sabotaging things."

"I don't want to be."

"Then don't be."

"I want to be with you."

"You can't be with me and be alone."

"I know. I want to be with you."

Bella stayed quiet, staring out the window. The tree beside her window was full and green, whereas it had once been stripped bare by winter. "Why are you so afraid of being alone?"

"I guess I'm more afraid of being left."

"Like, abandoned?"

"Maybe."

"Did someone abandon you?" Bella asked, remembering Tanya's words that one day.

"Not exactly. I have had a functional relationship or two, contrary to how it may seem."

"I didn't mean relationships, actually…"

"Then what do you mean?"

Bella's heart stuttered anxiously. The last thing she wanted to do was insinuate things, yet that was what she was being forced to do. "I mean family."

"Daddy issues."

Bella heard the smile in Edward's voice and turned from the window, wanting to see his face.

"Do you have daddy issues?" she asked, poking playfully at his chest.

He shrugged. "Probably."

"We all have issues."

It wasn't everything, and Bella knew that they would probably touch on the topic again, but it was a start. Edward had often been the type to talk about everything but what was going on with him, always keeping Bella in the dark. It put him in a place of power, because she had always been guessing, but in the end it had put him at a disadvantage.

This was different though. Bella wouldn't push or pry; Edward needed to come on his own as he had done tonight.

But if he wanted her the way he said he did, then that's what he was going to have to do.


	26. Curse

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_un-beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompt - curse**_

* * *

In the morning, I bring Edward breakfast in bed.

It's nothing fancy; I need to go grocery shopping. He doesn't seem to mind, though. Coffee, cut up apples, Nutella to dip them in and half of a baguette I had in the kitchen. It's good.

"Doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon," he comments, glancing out the window. The snow drifts down lightly, but constantly.

I nod, licking a spot of chocolate off of my thumb. I'm a little tired, even though we were able to sleep in this morning. Waking up all during the night does that to you, I suppose. "It's pretty."

"And cold."

I smile at him, and he smiles back. Chocolatey. "And cold."

I love this feeling, this giddy newness. We're in it for real now; not that we weren't before, but sex certainly intensifies things – especially since we're on the same page in terms of what we want.

At least, for the most part. We're still learning about one another.

"Maybe we can go outside and make snow angels later." I put the now empty food tray on the night stand and stretch out underneath the blankets.

"I don't have the clothes for that," Edward reminds me, lying beside me.

"Ah, that's true." I snap my fingers. "Damn."

"You're like a little kid," he says, brushing my hair from my face.

My heart skips a beat, and I feel so mushy inside. It's the way he's looking at me, like he's as enamored as I am. "I feel like one sometimes."

He nods, eyes twinkling. "I like that about you."

"You're that way sometimes too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I think we all have bits of ourselves that stay the same. Like, there's a part of me that can relate to who I was at three. Sometimes I feel like that's the most essential part of me, the core of who I actually am. The rest is… peripheral."

He nods, and I can see he's thinking about what I've said. "There are important things we learn along the way, though."

"Oh, for sure." I chew my lip, trying to express myself. "Maybe not peripheral, but more like… everything else builds on the person we were at three. Or two, or five, or whatever."

"That makes sense." His fingers graze my hip, naked beneath the shirt I wear. "In an odd Bella sort of way."

I kiss him lightly. "I wish I could have known you at three."

"According to you, you do know me at three."

"Shush!" I laugh, poking him. "You're teasing me now…"

"Only a little… and anyway, I wish I could've known you at three, too."

We cuddle and kiss for awhile, enjoying the warmth we've found beneath the blankets.

"Does it bother you that I can't have children?" he asks.

It is so sudden that I freeze, my hands in mid-tickle. "Not really."

"You're just saying that." He says it as a statement, but I hear the question in his words.

"No, I 'm not." I pull back so that we can look at each other properly. "It's not something I have strong feelings about, Edward. I'm…rather neutral."

"Impossible. It's the most un-neutral subject there is."

Frowning, I lower my eyes. He's got such nice shoulders, and I focus on them, running my hands over the soft, smooth skin. "I haven't given it a lot of thought. Never have. I'm focused on my life right now, not the maybe-life of future kids I may or may not have."

He stays silent, so I continue. "I don't know what you want me to say. Is it something that bothers you? It's not a curse, you know. If you really wanted we could adopt. Or something. There are options."

"I know there are options," he says, his voice not harsh but almost. "But it's easier said than done."

"I never said it was easy."

"You have no idea."

It feels as though he's slipping away from me. "Are you trying to push me away?"

"Did you say _we_ could adopt?" He says instead. "Or did you mean I could?"

My face heats; I hadn't even realized I'd said that. "I – I don't know."

"I don't want to push you away," he says, pulling me closer so that I'm lying halfway on top of him. "I just want you to understand, from the very beginning."

"I do understand," I say, sitting on top of him. He has nothing on beneath me, and I can feel all of him. "Stop underestimating me."

"I'm not –"

"You are."

He grasps my hips, moving me against his body.

"I don't want to hurt you," I say, lying down so that I'm flat against him. "So don't hurt me."

"You're like no one I've ever met."

He sounds almost astonished.

I feel the same way about him.


	27. Point

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt - point**_

* * *

The light had completely faded outside, even dusk leached of its grey.

I reached up hesitantly, unbuttoning the last remaining button on Edward's dress shirt.

He stared at me, his eyes flickering across my face, like we'd never been this close, or like it had been so long he'd forgotten what I looked like.

I pushed his shirt off of his shoulders. He pulled my sweater off over my head, and I stepped away from the window, conscious of the transparency and cold.

"Do you love me?" I whispered. Something welled up inside me, and for a second I felt like I might cry. Being here with him was either very right or very desperate, and I knew that the decisions we made from now on would really matter.

Edward was a good man, a great one. He wasn't the sort you let walk away, not without a fight. I hadn't any pride left; I'd come to terms with this before leaving home. Pride wasn't the point, anyway. Love was. And not a pie-in-the-sky, overly idealistic view of love – we'd had that once and it had been wonderful, but when it started to evolve in to something more mature, we'd lost our grip.

Love's an action word, and I knew we'd simply grown stagnant.

He nodded, pulling me closer so that he was hugging me. His skin felt so warm and good.

"I love you," I told him, resting my cheek against his chest.

"I know." His voice was soft, and for a moment we just stood there, holding each other.

I tiptoed and kissed his cheek; he turned his face and met my mouth with his.

It was chaste at first, but our bodies knew one another, and we soon fell in to familiar ways of being, kisses and touches; his hands splayed across my lower back, my fingers twisting in his hair.

We broke apart, and I went to the bed, pulling him along.

He climbed in with me, undoing the button on my jeans so that I could pull them off. He took his pants off then too, and we got under the covers.

I loved his hands on me; they were precious, he was precious. Even more so now; we were an uncertainty... we'd separated and were trying to come back together. Why wasn't it easy? Why could I just say "Okay!" and wake up as his?

Something shifted in his demeanor, and he rolled on to me with renewed lust, sucking viciously at my neck and the tops of my breasts. I pulled at his hair and let him handle me; I'd been alone and without him for too long.

He kissed my belly button. I removed my bra.

He came back up and kissed my mouth. "Are you still on the pill?"

I nodded, and my hands shook.

"Why?" he whispered, becoming gentle again, kissing my nipples.

"I thought you'd come back," I admitted. I realized I hadn't even thought about it like that; that the decision to keep things in his absence (the way they'd been in his presence) had been made somewhat subconsciously.

There was that look again, the painful one.

"What is it?" I asked, rubbing my thumbs against the roughness of his cheeks. "Is there something you need to tell me?" Panic washed over me and I stilled, focused on not freaking out.

He shook his head and laid his face of my chest, much as I had done before, only now we were lying down.

"Things feel irreversible now," he said. "I'm here and you're there, and… so much has happened. We're broken. And then you tell me things in your emails, and you come out here and tell me you want me and you love me, and all I did was leave you. I left you because there was nothing left. Now you're showing me there is something left. I don't want to take steps backward…I don't want to end up this way again."

I let his words sink in. He was right, of course, but he'd never been wrong. Neither had I, really. If only it had been a simple matter of right and wrong but instead it had been this weird falling away; complacency.

"It doesn't have to be stepping back," I said. "It can be stepping forward. It can still be new."

I urged him up with my legs and feet, missing his mouth and his kisses. Greedy, I didn't want to think about the repercussions sex would have. It had always been us, and been good. I would take whatever he'd give me, because I knew in my heart he loved me like he said he did.

Our kisses lasted and lasted. I tasted him and smelled him and felt him feeling and smelling and tasting me. He moved against me until I needed him and then he moved inside me.

I couldn't remember the last time we'd kissed the whole time we made love.


	28. Astrology

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_no beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin'**_

_**prompt - astrology**_

* * *

Bella moaned a little.

It was not the most innocent of sounds, and in fact it made _Edward_ tingly down there. He took a small step back before his boner poked her.

"Did you kiss me because you felt bad for me or because you wanted to?" Bella asked curiously. The wind whipped her hair around her face, making her look like a mermaid on the front of a ship.

"Um, both," Edward said. "But mostly cuz I wanted to. I've wanted to kiss you for awhile actually."

Bella blushed and looked down, smiling shyly. "Really?"

"Yeah."

The cool air, and slight distance from Bella, helped calm Edward's hormones. Confident that he was no longer pitching a tent, he came close enough to take Bella's hand. They walked down to the shore, kicking their shoes off along the way.

The night was clear and the sky wide open, dotted impressively with a smattering of stars. Edward smirked to himself. Girls loved to be reveled with the tales of the constellations – stories of powerful warriors and romantic couplings.

"You know anything about astronomy?" he asked casually.

Bella shook her head, making a face in the darkness. "No. I'm not in to horoscope and things."

Edward frowned. "Not astrology, astronomy. The study of the stars and all that? Constellations?"

"Oh!" Bella warmed in embarrassment. "No, I don't really know about that either, then. But I'd like to…"

"Well, see that star, right there? The really bright one? See the star right next to it? If you follow that line…"

He went on and on. Half the time Bella didn't even know what she was supposed to be looking at, but she just smiled and nodded and acted interested.

Anything to keep him talking. Anything to keep him next to her.

And when he still hadn't shut up thirty minutes later, she tripped him in the sand and fell on top of him, by mistake on purpose.

Now it was her turn to bust a move on him, and so she did. Again and again.

* * *

When Bella woke up the next morning, she was in the best mood ever. Not even the slight headache she had was enough to derail her from her post make out happiness. She couldn't wait to gossip about it with the girls.

Until she heard the thumping, anyway.

Bella jumped, startled.

The thumping was low, rhythmic, and right on the other side of her wall.

"_Emmett – Emmett – Emmett-Emmett –ahh-Emmett!"_

Oh, gross. Plugging her ears, Bella got out of bed and went downstairs, to where the warm and welcome smell of French toast was wafting from the kitchen.

"Alice, I –"

But Jasper was the one manning the stove. Alice was sitting on the counter next to him, chattering happily as she sliced strawberries in to a bowl. She grinned when she saw Bella.

"Hey, sleepyhead!"

"Hey," croaked Bella, glancing at the clock. Holy canoli, it was ten already!

"I was about to come up and get you," Alice said, making googly eyes at Jasper as she popped a strawberry in to his mouth.

Bella scowled. "No need; Rose and Emmett woke me up."

Jasper glanced over his shoulder, sharing a sympathetic smile. "Where's Edward? Didn't he stay?"

"No, he felt it would be more gentlemanly to go home for the night," Bella sniffed, secretly pissed that she was obviously the only one who hadn't gotten lucky the night before.

Not that she would have had sex, but a little fondling would've been nice.

Meanwhile, Alice and Jasper were sharing secret smiles. They'd had an interesting evening, to say the least. Despite what Bella thought, they hadn't slept together either.

Alice had, however, become quite acquainted with Jasper's talented tongue.

Sighing, Bella wandered out on to the patio. Evidence of the night before littered the scene; empty glasses and a kabob sticks by the grill.

It was a beautiful morning, though. The air was still cool, despite the brightness of the sun, and if she listened hard enough, she could just barely hear the waves. Or maybe it was the far off rush of traffic. Either way.

She retrieved her phone from the pocket of her bathrobe and called Edward, her heart pounding and crazy. Even though they'd kissed for hours the night before, she wasn't sure how things would be in the light of day.

"Hello?" he sounded tired, like she'd woke him up.

"Hi, Edward? It's me – Bella."

"Oh, hey, Bella." He cleared his throat. "What's up?"

"Nothin'… just wanted to hear your voice I guess."

He chuckled lowly, his voice all husky and sexy.

"You know your friends stayed the night," Bella continued, looking disdainfully back at the house. She could see Alice and Jasper through the window, tonguing down. Ugh.

"I kinda figured."

"I wish you'd stayed the night," she blurted, immediately covering her mouth.

"Oh yeah?" He sounded wide awake now. "Well what are you doing right now?"

"Nothing…waiting to eat breakfast I guess."

"Wanna come over?"

"Yeah! I mean, I'm in my pajamas, so –"

"Stay in them. I'll be down in five minutes."

"Okay," Bella agreed happily.

They disconnected, and Bella went back inside.

Seven minutes later, Edward pulled up in the driveway wearing his jammies.

Several of the Arthurs were outside, having bloody marys on the front porch. Mike glanced over at Edward.

"Wouldn't bother, man. Those chicks're cold as ice."

Edward glared at him, but said nothing. No sooner did he ring the doorbell when Bella appeared, anxious to reunite.


	29. Cooking

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - cooking**_

* * *

Bella paused in front of the produce, mentally reviewing what she needed for dinner.

She'd made a list – and promptly forgot it on the kitchen counter. So here she was, at the grocery store, trying to remember what she needed.

Every once in a while she and Alice hosted dinner for several friends. The practice stemmed from their love of company, which had started sometime around sophomore year. In college towns, people came and went like the seasons, and the girls quickly learned that they would do well to hang on to the close friends they made.

Also, they had, by far, the best house for entertaining.

Portabella mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes, garlic, squash, and Yukon gold potatoes: some of Bella's favorite things to grill.

She picked up a couple of other things she needed, including a few cases of beer, and headed toward the cash register.

Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey…it's me."

Bella smiled to herself. Of course Edward knew she'd recognize his voice. She supposed they really did know one another that way. They truly had become close over the years.

"Hi… what's up?"

"Nothing. Just got off work."

Frowning, Bella switched the phone to her other hand and started placing groceries on the belt. "You had to work today?" Sundays were generally the one day Edward tried to keep for himself, whether it was to catch up on class work or just sleep.

"Yeah." There was a pause, a heavy sigh. "This project… I swear. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who takes this stuff seriously, you know?"

Bella did know. Few people were as devoted – or as gifted – as Edward. It was too bad that same level of commitment couldn't be applied to his relationships.

"Well, what are you doing for dinner?" she asked, chewing her lip.

"I don't even know. I'm beat."

"Oh…okay." Traditionally, this was where Bella let Edward off the hook, where she let him retreat.

Even if he had called her.

But he didn't retreat. "Why, what's up?"

"Alice and I are hosting dinner for a bunch of friends…"

"Ah, nice. It's been awhile since you did that."

"Yeah, it has." The person just ahead of Bella was paying now. "Would you, um… be interested in coming over? For dinner?"

"Yeah." He was smiling, Bella could hear it. "What are you cooking?"

"Does it matter?" she asked, now smiling as well.

"Nope."

"Good. Be there at seven."

"What can I bring?"

"Just yourself."

"Okay… thanks."

"Sure." Bella smiled apologetically at the cashier, who was now ringing through her stuff. "Gotta go, though."

"Right. See you soon."

Bella pocketed her phone. She and Edward really had been talking a lot lately. Initially, she'd assumed that Edward was just interested in her physically, and that he was doing whatever it took to secure their connection. They'd always been good as friends and great as lovers… just not as two people in an actual relationship.

But as time went on, and they learned more about each other than they had over the past two years, Bella saw that Edward was finally letting her in. Maybe he did want something more with her.

She certainly wanted more with him, but she was good at hiding her feelings. Before, the attraction had been mostly physical. How could it have been anything else? Edward was too good at compartmentalizing and closing off his feelings.

That was before, though. Now, Bella knew more about him and she genuinely liked the things she was discovering. And in learning more about him, she felt to share more of herself. She couldn't help but hope he liked what he saw.

It was all about timing. If they were meant to be, then when the time came, they would be.

* * *

Edward came bearing gifts; carrot cake to be exact.

Alice met him at the door, beaming when she saw the cake box. "Bella's gonna love this."

"I know," he said, trying not to be smug. Bella had been going on and on about a carrot cake she'd seen on the Food Network recently, saying she wanted to try making it. She probably would, knowing Bella, but Edward couldn't resist. He had seen the bakery on the way to the house, and on a hunch, popped on in to see if they had carrot cake. They did.

Alice led Edward through the house to the kitchen, where she motioned for him to set the cake down on the counter.

"She's out back, grilling," she said, pointing. "Want a beer?"

"Sure. What've you got?"

"Heineken…Sierra Nevada…"

"Heineken's fine, thanks."

Alice opened the bottle and handed it to him. The doorbell rang, and she patted Edward's arm before disappearing again.

Edward wandered out in to the backyard, where the smell of grilling meats and veggies filled the air. He was suddenly starving.

"Hi!" Bella called, waving.

A couple of other people were scattered around, chatting. Edward walked over to Bella and smiled, touching her arm. "Hey. This looks great."

"Doesn't it?" She smiled back. "And it's a gorgeous evening. Summer's coming…"

Edward nodded, looking around. It was almost dusk, but the outside lights were on, gently illuminating the yard.

"I'm glad you could make it," Bella said shyly, focusing on the food in front of her. She flipped a couple of mushrooms, mainly so that she would have something to do.

"I'm glad you invited me."

They often came back to this point, this funny grey area, where they were too close to be formal but too cautious to be careless. Edward wanted to touch her again, run his hand along her ponytail.

A tall, blond guy sauntered over, leaning over to kiss Bella's cheek. "There you are."

Edward bristled, taking a step back. Taken by surprise, Bella glanced over at him before looking back at Peter, a guy she'd dated a couple of times over the past few months. He was handsome, and polite, but in the end the spark just wasn't there for her. He had seemed okay when she'd pulled away, but then he kept calling and coming by her job.

The problem was, he was a good friend of Jasper's. She suspected that Peter had tagged along with him tonight. Ugh. Awkward.

"Hi, Peter," she said quietly. "Um, this is Edward. Edward, Peter."

The two men shook hands, openly appraising one another. Bella sighed inwardly. Things could never be simple. Peter would have been an easy, sure thing –only she felt almost nothing for him. Edward had been nearly impossible, and yet she had deep feelings for him.

Murphy's Law.

"Didn't know you were coming tonight, Pete," she said evenly.

"Yeah, I know. Jasper mentioned it, so… "

Bella exhaled slowly, hoping he would get the hint and go, but then Edward did instead.

"Wait, um, Edward –"

"I'll be right back; I saw someone," he said, giving her a small smile.

After dinner had been served, and everyone had gone back to socializing and milling around, Bella grabbed Edward and dragged him over to the patio table.

"What's up?"

He cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

"You feel… far away."

"Just giving you space."

"Well…don't."

Edward smiled, searching her deep, brown eyes. "Okay."

"Okay. Now where's my cake?"

Smiling, he took her hand to lead her inside.


	30. Delivery Man

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_beta? no!_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompt words - fireplace, delivery man, flower**_

* * *

It's been a long day at the office.

I don't usually have to bring my work home with me, but tonight I do and it's kind of pissing me off. I've gotten used to spending my evenings with Edward, who often has to bring work home yet still manages to have a little time for me.

I call him on the way home, explaining that tonight is going to be a late one for me, and not for the reasons we'd like. He chuckles, saying he understands. There will always be another night, another dinner.

"Call me when you take a break," he says. I can tell by the subtle hush of background noise that he's also on the road. "I'll be up late, too."

The snow has finally stopped falling, but it still covers almost everything. I turn on the heat when I get home, opting to also use the fireplace for adding warmth and coziness. After showering and changing in to sweatpants and a t-shirt, I settle down in the living room with my laptop and get to work.

I'm able to work for awhile without distraction or interruption. In fact, I'm so absorbed in my work that it's not until my stomach growls that I realize it is nearly nine and I still haven't eaten. There are a couple of places around that still deliver at this time –one of the many perks of living on the outskirts of a city –and I call the first one that comes to mind.

With my phone still in hand, I plop down on the couch to wait for the delivery man. It rings, and I smile when I recognize the number, as well as the picture I've put to identify the caller.

"Hey," I say, missing him more than ever. Ridiculous; I was fine without him for years.

And yet, having him now, nothing else will do.

"Missing me?" I ask, pulling a blanket up around my legs.

"Maybe. How's it been going?"

"It's going well, actually. I've been working steadily for about three hours…in fact, it's funny you called because I just stopped to call the pizza place."

"Yeah, I know how that goes. I just had a sandwich, myself."

"You're busy too, huh?"

"Always." He sighed quietly. "I haven't been on vacation in years."

My heart flutters. "We should go on vacation."

"And when would we have time to do that?"

"I don't know." I sigh, gazing into the flames across the room. "We should find time. Make time. Even if it's just a weekend."

"Just a weekend, huh? In that case I feel like I have a vacation every weekend in bed with you."

Shaking my head at his charm, I laugh quietly. "If you say so."

The doorbell rings, far more quickly than I expected. "Listen, the pizza's here; gotta go. Talk to you in the morning?"

"Of course. Night, Bella."

"Night, Edward."

* * *

The office is quiet the next day; Attorneys Clearwater and Cope have been in court since nine, and will probably be there for the bulk of the day. They're good men to work for; demanding and efficient, but not unkind. Still, it's nice having the office to myself for the day, with just Angela and Lauren, the other paralegal and receptionist, to chat with.

Around three my late night starts to catch up with me. Yawning, I stand up and stretch, contemplating going out and grabbing a cup of coffee. I brought food from home, and worked through lunch because I didn't feel like leaving, but now I'm yearning to be outside.

"I think I'm going to run down the street and get a latte… either of you want anything?" I ask, tapping my fingers along Lauren's desk.

She puts her nail file away and yawns dramatically. "Definitely. I feel like I'm about to pass out right here if I don't get some caffeine in my system."

"There is a coffee maker you know," Angela pipes up.

"Oh, like you ever drink that sludge," snaps Lauren. Her eyes twinkle playfully as she hands me a twenty. "Here, get her one too."

I call Edward as I hit the main lobby, greedy to hear his voice.

"Bella?"

"Hi… you busy?"

"Kind of… "

"Oh, okay. I won't keep you; I just left to get coffee for me and the girls, so I figured I'd call."

"From Bagel Street?"

He knows me well. I grin, looking both ways before crossing the street. "Yep. I'll call you later though, okay?"

"Sure."

I have the urge to tell him I love him, like we're an established couple, but I don't. I don't want to say it casually and over the phone for the first time, even though there's no doubt in my mind that I do, in fact, love him.

I'm in line at the café when my phone rings again.

"Hello?"

"Order me a coffee too, okay?"

Confused, I whirl around, only to be met by Edward's mischievous grin.

I close my phone and smack his chest with it. "You said you were busy!"

"Yeah, busy going to pick up lunch." He leans down and kisses me gently, resting his hand on my hip.

"I missed you," I admit, blushing even though it's true and I want him to know.

"Trust me, I feel the same way," he says. "Do you have a minute? Can you sit with me, or do you have to run back?"

"I skipped lunch; I can take a minute."

We order, a trio of coffees for me and a loaded bagel and coffee for him.

He nods toward the table in the corner, and I follow him over, silly-giddy that I have this unexpected time with him.

"This isn't even your part of town," I accuse, sitting across from him.

"Yes it is," he argues, smiling as he tears in to his food.

"Not really." I take a sip and gaze at him shamelessly. He is so, so handsome.

He reaches in to his pocket and pulls out a tiny velvet pouch. Without speaking, he rests it on the table, close to me.

Inside is a small, delicate gold ring. It's handmade, and the workmanship is beautiful, the front having been twisted in to a tiny flower.

"Wow," I breathe, looking up at him. "Thank you…"

"You like it?"

I don't really wear much jewelry, but this is just my style, somehow. "I love it." It fits right on my pinkie, perfect. "Where did you get it?"

"A small shop that just opened near the office. She's got all sorts of things like that in there. This one felt like you."

I nod, smiling. "It does feel like me."

We can't spend long, but it is time well spent. I will never be satisfied when it comes to Edward; I will always want more: his time, his body, him.

I have to go in the opposite direction than he does when we leave. He tilts my chin up to kiss me, and before our lips meet, I say it.

"I love you." It's hardly more than a whisper.

Now that it's out there, I'm a little nervous, but not enough to want to take it back.

He smiles slowly and kisses me, walking me backward until we are in the empty courtyard attached to the café.

"And I love you."


	31. Dominate

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt - dominate**_

* * *

I woke up alone, but not completely.

The smell of coffee tickled my nose, conjuring up memories of all the yesterday mornings we'd shared over the years.

Closing my eyes, I reached for Edward's pillow and brought it to my face. It smelled like him. I didn't remember smelling him on our sheets all the time when we were still together but now that we were apart his scent was apparent and so very missed.

My stomach clenched with longing; the longing that hurts because it is three parts need and only one part hope.

I didn't know what I would do if Edward was absent from my days ahead. Now wanting thoughts like that to dominate my mood, I shoved away anything that wasn't right now – and maybe last night, the way he'd felt by me and on me and in me.

He walked back into the bedroom in his boxers and I took a moment to re-appreciate him, his messy hair and sleepy eyes and pale skin.

"You left the pink boxers back home," I said.

He cracked a smile, setting a cup of coffee on the little table beside the bed. "Did I?"

"You did."

He nodded and got back in to bed, pulling the comforter up. "You can probably toss 'em."

"Never."

He settled back, eyes twinkling.

"I miss this," I said, sitting up a bit. Edward always bought the best coffee; I tended to buy the cheapest. That would change, I supposed. I enjoyed coffee more when he made it.

His answering silence made me look over just in time to see his eyes flicker away from my breasts. I glanced down and pulled the sheet up.

But he'd already put his cup down and was coming closer, tugging the sheet down so that he could rest his face on my bare skin. My insides quaked; I loved him so much it hurt.

"Don't cry," he whispered.

"Okay," I whispered back, wiping my face.

"Bella." He kissed my chest and turned his face to mine.

I looked intently at him, my hands warm and snug in his hair.

"I do love you. I always have. Maybe even before you loved me. I just don't know that it's enough."

I rubbed my thumb over the wrinkle between his eyebrows. "Can we try?"

His eyes closed; he loved when I scratched his scalp. "If you want to."

"I do, do you?"

"I do."

"If we commit, will you stay with me?"

He opened his eyes. "I live here now. And you live there. I don't want you uprooting everything just for me."

I huffed, letting my hand fall away. "Will you stop acting like we weren't together for years and years and years? I love you! I don't want to be apart from you! I tried it, and it just doesn't work for me. I can't make you do anything, but just know that on my end, I'm willing to work for this. Because I know it can work." I took a long sip of coffee, appreciating the way the warmth flowed down through my body.

"So what are you going to do? Move out here?"

"Maybe not right away, but if that's what it takes." I tugged the sheet back up.

He smiled, pulling it back down. "Okay."

"Okay."

"I've missed you too."

"Looks like you've missed my boobs."

He nodded. "Them too."

"So that's it? Just like that, we're together?" I asked.

"Just like that."

I was almost afraid to allow the hope inside bloom any further, but Edward was not one for gratuitous words.

"I wish you'd spoken to me before leaving," I said, putting my coffee down and sliding down so we were face to face.

"I wish you'd spoken to me before that." His voice was not unkind.

I had been frozen in complacency, I realized. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too." He kissed me.

I sighed, relaxing against him.

Our bodies pressed together. "You scare me, Bella. No one can hurt me the way you could."

Frowning, I touched his cheek. "I don't want to hurt you. But just so you know, you scare me too."

"I feel like I don't know where to start," he admitted.

"We'll figure it out."


	32. Feathers

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

beta'd, not

**storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin'**

**prompts - feathers**

**(and this really awful/hilare video of Exile's "i wanna kiss you all over". )**

* * *

As far as bachelor pads went, the boy's wasn't too horribly bad. The sink was overflowing with dirty dishes and there were clothes scattered around, but other than that it seemed okay. Bella was just relieved that there were no funky smells emanating from the apartment.

That might have been a deal breaker right there.

"So, this is a three bedroom?" Bella asked, looking around.

"Actually… no. It's a two bedroom so we just trade around. One of us sleeps on the couch every night."

"Oh." She didn't want to sound impolite, but that kinda sucked.

"Yeah, it can suck," Edward said, as if he could read her mind.

"Well," Bella said, looking coyly up at him, "I guess you'll just have to spend the night with me every now and then."

Edward smiled, reaching for her. "You do have a pretty big bed."

She nodded, letting herself be pulled along in to one of the bedrooms.

"You guys do wash the sheets, right?" she asked, pausing next to the bed.

"I always do, and I was the one sleeping here last night. So, yeah."

Bella fell back on to the bed. "Comfy. Wow."

"Yeah. This is my down comforter. Real feathers in there."

"Ooh. I have one of these back home."

"They're the best." Edward walked grabbed a remote and aimed it at the iPod dock in the corner.

Immediately fantastically cheesy love sounds filled the room. The singer kept saying he wanting to"kiss you all over".

"This is Emmett's," muttered Edward, slinking over to the bed. He crawled on to Bella and started kissing her all over, from her mouth to her neck. When he started nosing around the buttons of her pj shirt, she stiffened. What he was doing felt really nice, but she didn't want to just throw down like that.

"What's wrong?" he asked, nibbling at her ear.

Oh _wow,_ that felt good. Bella tried to keep her eyes from rolling back in to her head. "I…um… I just don't know…"

"I don't see nothin' wrong with a little bump n' grind," he said, pushing his hips up against hers.

That sounded vaguely familiar. Rose, probably. Girlfriend was full of sexual platitudes.

"Mm, me neither," Bella moaned.

Edward took that as confirmation to go a little further. He snaked his hand up and began opening her shirt button by button. When the material fell open, he groaned. "No bra? Oh, Bella…"

"Well, these are my pajamas," she said, face full on fire truck red.

"No, I know. It's great," he said, kissing a line from her belly button to the little valley between her boobs.

Bella secretly wanted Edward's mouth on her nipples, but she would never ask. He seemed to be going in that direction, anyway.

Jared Parker was the first – and last – person who had ever done that to her. He was cute, but superduper slobbery. Bella cringed just thinking about it.

Edward mistook Bella's shudders for ones of pleasure. He pulled a nipple in to his mouth and sucked with gusto.

Bella gasped, clutching Edward's crazy-ass hair.

Holy canoli. Now _this _was what she was talking about.

* * *

Back at the girl's house, Emmett and Rose had moved in to the bathroom.

Tired of the thumping and moaning and groaning, Jasper and Alice had moved to the beach, leaving the house to the very vocal lovers.

The shower in Rose's room – the very one in which she had unwittingly displayed her vag to Emmett – had a shelf along the window. It was where she liked to sit while shaving and it was where she was currently bent over while Emmett went to town behind her. He'd found a straw hat amongst her things and wore it while he took her, wishing he had a cowboy hat instead. Emmett was all about theatrics and dressing for the part.

So in fantasy land was he, that he didn't notice Rose losing her footing on the sudsy tile. Before she had the chance to catch herself, Rose slipped and tipped forward, knocking her forehead on the window they were facing.

"Dammit, Emmett!" she growled.

_Dammit Emmett has a nice ring to it_… he thought, grabbing Rose's waist and almost slipping himself.

"Take off the stupid hat or so help me…" Rose warned, rubbing her now-red forehead.

"Sorry, baby," he murmured, tossing the hat behind him in to the bathroom. "Now where were we…?"

"I was right here, mofro, I don't know where you were," Rose snipped, waving her bum at him.

Man, this chick was a firework, like the Katy Perry song on his iPod.

He dug it.

* * *

Jasper grinned, watching Alice practice her Kundalini yoga moves.

He thought it sounded like pasta, like linguine or something, but she swore it was good for all kinds of energies, especially sexual.

But damn that girl was flexible.

She was saying something about Kundalini rising, but frankly all Jasper could feel was _his_ own rising.

He didn't mind being a gentleman…after all, that's what his mama had taught him… but it was going to be hard with Tiny Dancer. She swiveled around to face him, spreading her legs in to a full split.

"Do you feel it, Jasper?" she asked, smiling beatifically as the morning sun blazed down on her sweet little face.

"Yeah, I feel it, babycakes. I feel it."


	33. Harder

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - "Harder," she begged.**_

* * *

"So who's Peter?" Edward asked casually.

He and Bella had just decimated what was left of the carrot cake and were now sprawled on the couch, bellies full to bursting.

Bella eyed the smear of frosting above Edward's lip. "He's just a guy."

Edward smirked. Yeah, just a guy who had felt the need to hover and kiss her cheek.

"We went out a couple times," she added, lowering her eyes.

This both did and didn't bother him. It did because, well, he was jealous. He knew what Bella kissed like, and felt like, and sounded like when she was about to come and then when she was coming. On the other hand, though, a part of him had always wondered if he was really any good for Bella at all. It was something of a relief to know that he hadn't ruined her or traumatized her with his crap.

Which then, of course, led him back to square one. Wanting Bella.

Bella watched Edward rest his head on the back of the couch. He had his poker face on, so she couldn't tell if he was jealous of Peter, or a little hurt, or just amused.

"You have frosting on your face," she said.

He sat up, wiping at his cheek.

"Lower."

He dabbed at his lip.

"Other side."

He licked all around his mouth, making Bella snort. "I'm not going to help you. Here." She tossed him a wadded up, but clean, napkin.

"Why not? I thought you liked this frosting," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

It was the closest they had come to actual flirting in months, and it made Bella both aroused and uncomfortable. But that was okay. She and Edward would always be a mess of memories and emotions and figuring-it-out. She was used to clashy feelings.

"I do."

Edward grinned and wiped his face properly, removing all traces of cream cheese frosting. "Better?"

"Yep."

He nodded and grabbed his beer, taking a sip as he watched Bella watch him. He could feel the subtle shift between them, too. This made him feel nervous and horny. Like her though, he was used to feeling two seemingly contradictory things at once when it came to their relationship, so he tended to just let it ride.

The back door opened. Alice's chatter and Jasper's answers filled the kitchen, along with the sounds of clean up.

"I should go help," Bella said, setting her bottle down as she stood.

"Don't you dare," Alice said, poking her head in. "You cooked, we'll clean. There's not that much to do anyway."

"Then I'll help," Edward offered, jumping up. It would probably be good to take a breather from Bella anyway; the tension was thickening and they'd both had enough beer to be loosened up and loose-tongued.

* * *

"I told you to take a break." Jasper said, giving Alice a massage. "We could have left some of that for later. Tomorrow, even."

"I just wanted to get it done. Harder," she begged, tapping his hands.

The yard and house were back to their pre-party condition, neat and clean. Despite her back problems, Alice had been on her feet all day, playing hostess and then cleaning with the energy of someone on meth. Hence, the sore muscles.

Bella watched in amusement. Jasper and Alice fit together like a hand in glove. Their dynamic was so natural, and she wondered why they'd ever waited. In the beginning, it had just been bad timing; Jasper had a girlfriend when he first met Alice. Then Alice had a boyfriend when Jasper was single. And then they were both single, but for some reason never went for it. Alice had always told Bella she worried that it would be anticlimactic, that there had been such sexual tension between her and jasper for so long that the real thing couldn't possibly come close.

She worried their friendship was at stake.

Now, months after they'd started dating, nothing could be further from the truth. Bella envied what they had, but she also recognized that it had been a long time coming. Their feelings and friendship had been growing for years. That was where she and Edward had gone wrong.

Bella didn't believe in wallowing in regret, but in retrospect she could see where she would have done things differently. Had they allowed their relationship to bloom platonically –despite their mutual attraction –perhaps things would have played out differently?

"You're quiet," remarked Edward.

Bella nodded, turning to him. "Want to go for a walk?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

She grabbed her keys from the table. "We'll be back, guys."

Outside, the night was comfortably cool.

"I was just thinking about Al and Jasper. How it seems like they've always been together."

Edward nodded. He didn't know either of them as well as Bella did, but even he could see that.

They walked in silence for awhile.

"So, I might have to go home soon," he blurted.

"Why? Is everything okay?"

"I spoke to my Aunt last night… apparently my father's sick. Really sick."

Bella flinched. Given the rocky past Edward had with his dad, she couldn't imagine how he felt. "Is he…going to be okay?"

"It's pancreatic cancer…and it came on kind of suddenly. I mean, I don't know. A month ago he was fine, and now he's on bed rest at home."

"I didn't realize you were still…"

"I'm not. I haven't spoken to him in years." Edward's voice was detached, but Bella knew better. She took his hand and linked her fingers through his. "But I have to go, you know? It just…"

"No, I know," Bella said. "When will you go?"

"Probably early next week. Things are a little up in the air right now. I'm gonna drive though."

"Okay. Let me know if… I can do anything." Bella paused, swallowing. "Ugh, that sounds lame…"

Edward stopped walking and faced her. The streetlight made her skin glow orange and yet she was still so pretty. He supposed it was her heart, too. Her face was wonderful, but it was her heart that had snagged his. "It's not lame. Thank you."

She hugged him tightly. It was the first full on contact they'd had in ages, but it was time.


	34. Finger

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompt - finger**_

* * *

"Because."

"Because what?"

"Just because." I huff, blowing my hair out of my face.

"Use your words, Isabella," Edward says faux-condescendingly, earning a punch in the arm.

"I just don't believe in shacking up before marriage," I say, shrugging. "And no, that's not a thinly veiled plea for a proposal."

He smiles, and if there is anything that could make me change my mind it's that face right there.

"Bella…"

I turn away, putting down the box I've been packing. "Ok, what's next?"

He sits back on the couch and pulls me down with him so that I lose my footing and topple on to him. "Oof."

"That's what you get," I laugh, twisting and putting my arms around him. "Manhandling me that way…"

"While I respect your slightly archaic beliefs –"

"You obviously don't if you're calling them archaic."

"—I think we've established that I do, in fact, see something long term with you. Cohabitation is the natural next step."

"We've only been together for six months, Edward."

"Yeah, and I sleep over all the time. Or you sleep over here."

I sigh, trying to get up, but he holds me in place.

"If loving you is wrong then I don't wanna be right," he croons.

"Gross." I lean in to kiss him, and one kiss turns in to several before I can get away. "Seriously… if we don't keep going we'll never get done."

"Fine." He gives me a little push and then stands beside me, pushing a hand through his hair. We've reached something of an impasse; he wants me to move in to the house he's just bought, and I think it would be better to wait. Living together is a big deal, and I just wasn't raised that way.

It's not who I am, and Edward knows that. It doesn't stop him from trying, though.

"What time is Emmett going to be here?" I ask.

"In about an hour. He just had a couple of errands to run first." He runs his hand down my back and steps away, somewhat reluctantly. "Come on. You can finish the guest room."

* * *

It's late, nearly midnight when we collapse in to my bed. His new place is still too much of a mess, so it makes sense to stay at mine.

Yawning, Edward runs a towel through his hair before dropping it on to the back of a chair.

"Aha, you see? That's one reason right there we couldn't live together," I tease, pointing at the towel.

Rolling his eyes, he picks it up and goes to hang it in the bathroom. Seconds later he's beside me in bed, naked and tickling me mercilessly. "Maybe you're right," he says, rolling me on to my back and pinning my arms. "You just might nag me to death."

"I am not a nag!"

"Hmm." His eyes twinkle as he presses his weight on to me, settling in between my legs.

I wrap my legs up around his hips. "Thought you were too tired."

"I'm sure we can work something out."

I push my hips up and he pushes back, showing me just what he wants to work.

Sometimes I feel like we lose time when we kiss, it feels so nice. It's not always this crazy, transcendent experience; sometimes it's simply sweet and good. But it's always perfect. My body misses his body, and so I pull my hands out from under his grip, wanting to hold on to him.

He traces his hand down my side, across my stomach and beneath my panties before shifting on to his side.

I kiss his mouth, his jaw, his neck.

He teases me, using just a finger.

Eventually it's not enough for either of us and he yanks my underwear off before helping me sit up so I can remove my tank top. I love his skin against mine, especially when he's just showered and he's extra warm.

"How do you wanna do it?" he whispers, rubbing against me while we kiss.

"Did you have something in mind?" I ask, gripping him down below.

He moves down my body so that his face is between my legs and while he doesn't _use his words_ he most certainly uses his mouth.

Later, we're drifting off when he takes my hand in the dark.

"You'll be in my house one day," he says.

"Okay," I say, yawning. I kiss his cheek and start to doze.

He holds me close. "And we'll do it your way."


	35. Naughty

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt - naughty**_

* * *

As much as I would've have liked to have lain in bed with Edward and do naughty things to pass time, we simply weren't at that point yet. Maybe we'd never be, but I had hope.

We'd been that way once, lazy in love, spending mornings laughing and touching and talking. I knew it could be that way again if we would just let it.

Although "let it" sounded so passive, and that's what had gotten us in trouble before. We could _make it_ happen.

He was at the kitchen table when I emerged from the bathroom. Toweling my hair, I walked to the window and looked out; this part of the apartment faced a different direction than the bedroom. There was a parking lot down below.

"What did you want to do today?" Edward asked. He turned a page of the paper he was reading.

"Doesn't matter; I really only came here to see you."

"I could give you a little tour, I guess, of downtown?"

"Sure." I nodded, finger-combing my hair.

"There's a good place I go sometimes for lunch…"

"I take it you never cook," I said, joking.

He snorted, not looking up from his newspaper.

I walked over to him and sank my fingers in to his hair. It was still a little damp from the shower he'd taken before. He leaned his head in to me, and when I started to pull away, he caught my hand.

"I'm glad you came," he said.

I nodded, swallowing.

He looked up at me. "I mean it."

"I'm glad I came too. Even though I was scared you'd turn me away… or be so polite you'd be nothing like how you used to be."

He shook his head. "I don't think I could ever be that way with you. You're my best friend."

I wrapped my arms around him and kissed the top of his head. "You're mine, too."

"Do Alice and Rose know?" he teased.

I pinched him. "Shush."

After lunch Edward took me to a park near his building, where we sat awhile. The sun shined dappled and soft through the trees, and everywhere I looked, children played and families lounged.

"It's so pretty here," I said.

"It is. You should see some of the houses in the nicer neighborhoods… "

"This is nice, though."

"Yeah, this is great. It works for me, you know? I'm pretty close to work and everything I need."

"Do you see yourself staying here for good?" I asked, watching a tiny girl toddle after a ball.

"I don't know. I'm here for the job, but you never know." He shifted beside me. "I guess… I guess that's why I'm a little hesitant to have you come out. What if you get settled and then I have to leave again?"

"Then I'd go with you," I said, folding in my hands in my lap. "It's not like we have pets or…kids. No attachments."

"You'd really do that for me?"

"For us, yes. I would."

I looked at him then, really looked at him, and it was like I could see something settling over his features, maybe the deep knowing that I had deep in my heart, too.

"I want you with me," he said. The rush of the wind through the trees could have easily carried his words away, but it didn't. I heard him.

Smiling, I looked down, almost weak with relief. He rubbed his hand over my thigh. "Hey."

I looked at him and he kissed me.


	36. Initiate

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal beachin'**_

_**prompt - initiate**_

* * *

Bright n' early on Monday morning Bella, Rose and Alice headed down to the Seashack on the bikes Aunt Claire had provided the day before. It had been a while since Bella had used a bike as her primary mode of transport, but she was secretly glad she'd have a way to burn of all the calories she'd likely consume working at a bar and restaurant.

None of the girls had experience working in a place like the Seashack – in fact Rose had never had a job, period – but Claire was patient, painstakingly showing the girls the ropes and helping them make sense of how things ran. The other two waitresses, Jessica and Lauren, were locals who had worked there after school and during the summer for years.

Lauren was a tall, willowy blonde. She was a little snooty, but Bella thought that she was actually quite nice once you got to know her. Jessica was curvy little thing, not as small as Alice but almost. She was sweet, helpful, and dumber than a bag of bricks. Still, one didn't have to be a genius to take orders and serve food.

Friendliness and being quick on one's feet, however, was of utmost importance. Bella learned this the hard way, trying to balance drinks on tray.

Noticing her wobbly stance, Lauren stopped Bella before she went careening in to the lunch time rush.

"Might take awhile before you can handle this," she said, removing several of the glasses. "Just ask for help. I'll follow you."

"Oh, thank you," breathed Bella. Her heart was racing; she didn't know what she'd been thinking, taking on a job like this!

Meanwhile, across the floor, Rose was having no trouble at all. Her Seashack t-shirt fit quite nicely, so nicely that she was just racking up tips… no pun intended. And Alice was a pro when it came to conversing with customers. She was born to initiate conversation, and table after table warmed to her sweet personality.

By mid-day, the girls were exhausted. Bella trudged along to the kitchen to place her own lunch order, trying to ignore the happy chatter of her best friends. She was beginning to have serious doubts as to whether she could handle this type of work for the rest of the summer.

"We're doing yoga when we get home," Alice said, linking her arm with Bella's. "You're so stressed out I can smell it."

"It's probably BO," Bella deadpanned, looking quickly over the menu before writing down what she wanted.

"You smell fine," snapped Rose. "But you look like crap. Seriously. We have a beach view and a bunch of halfway drunk men paying us to bring them food and smile. How rough can it be?"

"I'm just not good at it," Bella whined, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm so freaking uncoordinated. They're probably all laughing at me!"

Rose sighed. "Bella…"

"No! I almost dropped a plate of lobster on this guy's lap! The little tub of butter was sliding –"

"Bella!" Rose snapped her fingers. "It's your first day! You'll be fine. Besides, all you gotta do is show a little cleavage…" She grabbed a pair of scissors and snipped a "v" into the neckline of Bella's tee. "And voila. Instant tips."

Bella looked down at her now partly visible boobs. "Thanks."

"You'll see." Rose smiled smugly.

Alice patted her shoulder. "The yoga will help you decompress."

Sighing, Bella nodded. She wondered how Edward's day was going.

A couple blocks away, Emmett stood on the balcony of the condo he and the boys had just completed renovating. He looked longingly at the girl's house across the street, wishing they were over there were their pole dancing and muffin displays.

"I'm starved, man, you ready?" Jasper said, clapping Em on the back. "Edward said the girls would hook us up down at the Seashack."

"Hell yeah," Em said. "Let's go."

Edward drove, and within minutes they were pulling up to the crowded restaurant. This place was always popular, especially during the summer for lunch and dinner. The two for one beer specials and butterfly shrimp specialty made it hard to resist.

That, and the hot chicks working the floor.

The moment the boys walked through the door, animal magnetism drew Bella's gaze to Edward's. They sharing a knowing glance, Bella blushing as Edward's eyes blazed with unadulterated lust. All they'd done was fool around, but he was hooked for sure. He'd never met a girl like Bella Swan, and he had no intention of letting her go.

Bella had never met anyone as pretty as Edward. Plus, he had mad skills in the bedroom. If he could make her jukebox sing with just a couple of strokes, she could only imagine what would happen when she opened up shop for real.

Jasper shoved Edward forward, rolling his eyes. "Come on, Casanova," he muttered. "I'm ready to eat."

"So am I, brother, so am I," Emmett said hornily, practically salivating as Rose leaned over a table not too far away. Man, that reminded him of their shower encounter…

"Hi guys!" Jessica appeared in front of them, sudden as a jack in the box. "Let me set you! I'll bet you want your regular table with your regular order, amiright?"

"Um." Edward paused. Jessica had always had a crush on him –on all three of them actually –but he'd never been able to bring himself to hook up. She was too sweet, too child-like, too…

"Silly," Rose said, joining Jessica. "These boys are with us. I'll seat them. Thanks, though."

"Oh, right!" Jessica grinned and fluttered away.

Back by the counter, Bella's nerves started getting the better of her again. What if she messed up in front of Edward?

"Relax," whispered Alice, rubbing Bella's back. "Don't focus on the negative, or else you'll bring it to fruition."

"Right," Bella whispered back. She marched out to the table and greeted Em, Jasper and Edward, who grinned and winked and ordered beer.

So far so good.

"You got this?" Rose asked, smiling in an encouraging way.

"Yep." Bella felt good. Really good.

Until she got to the table and spilled Edward's beer all over his lap.

"Crap, I'm so sorry!" she cried, blotting his crotch with her dishrag.

The shock of cold and wet was quickly replaced by the rhythmic kneading that Bella was unknowingly inflicting on his privates. He grabbed her wrist before his semi could turn in to a fully fledged.

But Bella, mistaking his movement for irritation, burst in to tears and raced to the back.

Alice sighed, setting a new beer down in front of him. "She's right outside the back door. You know the drill."

Edward did know the drill. Only this time, that girl needed to finish what she'd started.

"I suck!" Bella said once Edward had joined her, not noticing the tent in his pants.

Edward wished she did suck, but they'd have time to get to that. Instead, he put her hand on his peen.

Bella gaped at him, realization dawning in her doe-like eyes.

"Wet, I can handle, Bella. But not hard."


	37. Giggle

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - giggle**_

* * *

She let him hold her hand on the way back home.

He appreciated her closeness – the physical but also the emotional. Not for the first time, he realized that Bella truly was one of his very best friends.

"How long will you be gone?" she asked, watching the wind dance a leaf across the sidewalk.

"Just a couple of days," he said. "I… really can't afford to stay much longer."

"Will it be enough?"

"It'll have to be."

Bella nodded. There was only so much Edward and his father could do at this point. In her heart, though, she had high hopes. Perhaps they would be able to put aside past hurts aside and make amends. She knew things would be a lot different for the both of them when viewed through the lens of his father's limited time left.

"Are you afraid?" she asked, squeezing his fingers.

He was quiet for a while, and she didn't think he would answer. They reached the front door, and Bella reached in to her pocket for her key.

"A little. The whole thing feels a little… I feel pressured. Like a lot is riding on this. It'll be okay, though."

Bella nodded. "I think so, too."

Inside, the living room was empty now, warmly lit with lamplight. Things were quiet, nothing but distant TV noise and the airy sound of Alice's giggle floating down the stairs.

"I might head out," Edward said.

Bella looked closely at him to make sure he wasn't withdrawing. He wasn't. In fact, he seemed calm, content.

"All right. If you're sure you don't want to stay…"

He shook his head. "I'm pretty tired. Thanks, though. For dinner, and for listening."

"You don't have to thank me for those things," Bella said, smiling. "But you're welcome anyway."

Edward nodded, palming his car keys. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay."

He hugged her again, and the closeness felt really good for them both.

Bella stood in the doorway, watching as he got in to his car. She could feel things deepening now, in a way that made sense, in a way that could and would last if they decided to take it there.

Edward recognized this feeling too. He gave Bella a small wave once he was inside his car, noticing the way she almost glowed from the light behind her.

He didn't want to be apart from her anymore, never had really, but he appreciated that she cared enough to do things right.

The next day Bella woke with the urge to do something nice for Edward. She supposed they were always doing nice things for each other, but after hearing about his dad she needed to do more.

Edward opened his door, still in sleep clothes. He smiled when he saw Bella standing there with coffee and a rather large bag of goodies from the café.

"What're you doing here?" he asked even though the answer was obvious.

"Just wanted to make sure you were properly fed today," she said, pushing past him.

Usually they hung out at her house, or the café. It had been awhile since she'd stepped foot into his apartment. It was pretty much the same as it had always been, the blinds drawn and the air conditioning turned up.

She glanced at the couch as she passed it en route to the kitchen, remembering all of the times they'd hooked up on it. She wondered briefly if there had been other girls who'd experienced the leather couch, and decided to never, ever ask.

"Chocolate croissants," moaned Edward, watching Bella empty the bag on to a pair of plates. "You're a goddess."

"And don't you forget it," Bella said, giving in to the urge to push Edward's messy hair from his eyes.

He warmed at her touch, only recently having recovered from his typical morning wood. Seeing Bella this early in the day, fresh and damn gorgeous, was doing things to him. He turned toward the counter, not wanting her to think he was completely out of control.

Oblivious to Edward's dilemma, Bella spread jam on a scone and elbowed him. "Open."

He did, his eyes on hers as she popped the sweet in to his mouth. "Mm."

She nodded, grinning, and prepared one for herself.

They hurried through breakfast – they both had classes soon –and soon Bella was at the front door again.

"See you in Lit?" she said, glancing back over her shoulder.

Edward nodded, catching up to her. "Hey."

She turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

He glanced down at his hands, not wanting what he needed to say to come out wrong or be met with suspicion.

"Thank you," he said, finally looking Bella in the eye again.

Her face softened, and she touched his arm. "We should do it more often."

"Bella."

She frowned. He looked almost nervous now. "What's up?"

Wrapping his arms around her, he drew her close, so close that he thought he could feel her heartbeat against his chest. "I love you. I just wanted you to know."

Bella closed her eyes, floored. "Okay," she whispered. "I…"

"You don't have to say anything. In fact, don't. Just…know that I do."

She looked at him and saw that he meant it. She wanted to tell him she thought she loved him, too, but it was such a far away concept. Or maybe it wasn't at all far away; maybe it was buried too deeply inside.

"See you in class," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Okay," Bella said, laughing a bit. She turned and walked to her car, feeling as if she was someone else, watching what had just happened.

But then she sat down in her car, and looked up to see Edward still watching, the way she's watched him the night before.

And it was no one else, just her and him and the things he'd just said.


	38. Different

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompts - conventional, different**_

* * *

"So, are you gonna go big or intimate? Like, city hall or –"

"Alice."

"No, I just mean like… you're pretty conventional when it comes to things like this…okay, that sounds bad. You're... traditional."

I sip at my coffee, staring at Alice over the top of the cup as she rambles. Eventually she'll run out of steam.

"So, you know. I'm not trying to be pushy; I'm just excited." She takes a deep breath and picks up her fork. "Bella?"

Smiling, I put my cup down. "I never said we were getting married."

"You said –"

"What I said was I wouldn't move in with him unless we were engaged or married, and then later on he said fine, we'd do it my way." I shrug. "That just means we're on the same page. It doesn't mean he's proposing. Or that he did propose."

Alice rolls her eyes. "It made you feel all gushy and mushy inside. Admit it."

"I do admit it," I say, rolling a stray blueberry across my plate. "I totally do. But just chill, okay? If he's going to ask, he'll do it when he's ready."

"He is pretty perfect," Alice says, sighing. "Even though…you know."

She's referring to the "no kids" issue. Alice has had baby fever since we were in college, I swear.

"Al…"

"Hey." She frowns at me. "Will you relax? I've never said anything to anyone about it, and frankly, I think it's awesome that you guys have each other. Because that would be a deal breaker for a lot of girls, but it isn't for you, and that's how I know he's the one. And that you're the one for him."

I relax completely, nodding. "Sorry. I guess I get defensive about it."

"Understandable, but don't. Not with me, anyway. If you guys want kids –and I hope you do, for the love of God –there are so many other options. As long as I get to be Auntie Alice."

"And there she goes, getting carried away again," I snort.

She shrugs, dumping more sugar in to her coffee.

"Which reminds me…" I smirk, cutting what's left of my pancake in to little pieces. "What ever happened with you and Jasper?"

Alice bites her lip, smiling. "He's amazing. Hopefully, in a couple of months, we'll be right where you and Edward are."

"For real?"

She nods, and her happiness is evident. I'm glad; poor Alice hasn't had the best luck on the dating scene over the past year. She's never lonely, but she's never too satisfied, either. She met Jasper the same New Year's Eve I got together with Edward, but after a couple of dates things fizzled between them.

Then, they were reintroduced at a mutual friend's barbeque. I don't know what was different, but they really connected that second time, way beyond the physical sparks that had flown before.

"That's incredible."

"I know. It's almost like what happened with you and Edward, in a way, with the whole second chances thing."

I nod and take a bite.

* * *

Edward is on the phone when I let myself in.

"My mom," he mouths, pointing to the phone.

I smile, setting my bag down before coming in any further. Edward's new place is fantastic, much warmer and cozier than his last place despite the fact it's nearly three times the size. I like to think it's because I helped decorate.

A couple of minutes later, he joins me in the kitchen, where I'm getting myself a glass of water.

"How's Alice?"

"She's good." I press a kiss to his mouth. "How's your Mom?"

"Good. She wants us to come up for dinner again soon."

"Dinner or the weekend?" I laugh a bit, remembering the last time we visited his parents.

He chuckles, getting a glass of water for himself, too. "Who knows. Either. Both. They love you."

"Good. I love them too." I turn to him, squeezing his sides. "We'll have to go see my parents next."

Nodding, he finishes his water and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Just pick a weekend and we'll go."

"You sure?"

"I've been seeing you seriously for over a half a year. I think it's time I meet the parents."

I snicker, thinking about the movie with the same name. My dad can be pretty anal when he wants to be, but he's definitely not as bad DeNiro's character. It's mostly an act, anyway, and one reserved for the slacker types I dated in high school.

Edward is impressive even without trying; I have no worries.

"You staying here tonight?" he asks, smirking.

I shrug, even though I know I probably will do just that.

"Why don't you just stay for good?" he asks, pushing me up against the counter.

"Why don't you just ask me properly?" I say, bringing our hips together.

"I thought I just did…"

I grin up at him, sliding my arms around his waist. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He holds me, but he leans away, cocking his head as he watches me. "So was that a thinly veiled plea?"

"Nope."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Would you want to marry me?"

Even though we're always playing around and hinting at it, actually hearing the words coming out of his mouth make my heart go crazy.

I nod, smiling like a goof.

"I'll keep that in mind," he says, pressing closer.

"Yeah, keep it in mind," I whisper, bringing him in for a kiss.


	39. Satin

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt - satin**_

* * *

We went to the movies, like old times.

Ate at a diner, talking until it was late.

There was newness there, like seeing him for the first time. All of the things I'd never forgotten were there, but it's like I saw them through new eyes, remembered why I'd fallen for him in the first place.

He was telling me a story about something silly, his eyes shining with amusement, when he took my hand and started playing with my fingers. My heart flip flopped and I knew we needed to leave soon; I wanted to kiss him and forget about all the things that weren't perfect with our arrangement.

Perfect _yet_.

We had lots of figuring out to do – logistically— but things would be good again soon.

I blinked back in to the moment. Edward was still telling the story, but he was wrapping it up. I grinned at his happiness, picking up my soda with my free hand and taking a sip.

His eyes flickered to mine, and it was like he knew. "You ready to go?"

Still smiling, I nodded. And tickled his palm.

He smirked, letting go. Our waiter passed by, slipping the check on to our table with a murmured "thank you".

I watched Edward pay. He always used cash, and he was a good tipper. I was glad. I didn't think I could make it with a stingy man, especially since I'd once been a waitress myself. It was one of the many minor things I appreciated about him, and I knew that the minors made up majors after awhile.

Back at the apartment, there were few words. We undressed and got in to bed together like we'd never been apart, our legs tangling and our hands reaching for one another. His touches and kisses were rough and then smooth, demanding and then soothing, sandpaper and satin.

I pushed him on to his back and climbed on top, letting the sheet fall away as we started to move together. His hands were everywhere; my hips, my stomach, my hair, and finally my face, when he sat up and slid me closer, giving us barely any space to work with.

It felt better.

* * *

"Call me when you land," he said.

He looked so serious, almost more so than the day he'd left.

I nodded, swallowing down the stupid lump in my throat. "Of course. You don't have to remind me."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss me again.

Eventually I picked up my bags and stepped away. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Maybe I'll come soon." He shook his head. "I will come soon."

I nodded, touching my mouth. "Love you."

I turned away so he wouldn't feel pressured to respond but he yanked me back, digging his fingers in to my hair as he kissed me again. "Love you too."

My heart was beating so fast. I wanted to say screw the plane, screw the ticket, screw my apartment and my job and my life back home. But I couldn't, not just yet.

Like a movie, I was the last to board the plane and what a sad soul I was. The lady checking tickets at the mouth of the jet bridge smiled sympathetically at me, wishing me a good flight. I didn't look to see if Edward was standing where I left him. I knew he was.

I'd made my move, now he could make his.

And the thing was I felt good about it.

* * *

My home felt empty. Familiar and that was good, but empty. I left my bags at the door and wandered from room to room, looking, feeling, smelling. Hints of him were pretty much gone except for a couple of the hidden few (the boxers in my drawer, the empty picture spot on the wall).

As promised, I'd called upon landing, but now I called again, craving his voice.

"Bella? Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." I sighed, sitting on the couch. "I just… wanted to hear your voice."

I heard, felt him smile.

We talked until I felt tired, and then I lay down on the cushions, kicking my boots off.

And talked until I was sleepy, and then until I fell asleep.


	40. Thank

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin'**_

_**prompt - "I'd like to thank..."**_

* * *

Bella gave Edward's package a squeeze. She'd drenched him, but not in the sexy way.

"You gonna take care of it or you gonna squeeze it like a piece of fruit?" he asked, eyes flashing randily.

"I can't take care of it right here, Edward," Bella huffed, gripping extra hard to make a point.

Edward winced, and then groaned, sagging against the wall. "I can't even deny it anymore, I want you really bad."

Bella looked both ways and then pulled Edward further down the alley way, where they would be partially hidden by the dumpster. She pushed him up against the wall and attacked, peppering his neck with bites and kisses. He hooked her leg around him, thanking the heavenlies for short-shorts.

Right as their making out hit critical levels, Edward convulsed. Bella smiled to herself; she was getting pretty worked up too.

"You like that?" she whispered, grinding against his crotch. It would make her crotch smell like beer, but it was worth it.

"No, I mean yeah but…" He convulsed again, and Bella realized he was gagging. "I keep getting whiffs of the stench…"

Yeah, the garbage smelled pretty ripe. Rancid seafood and rotting produce did not a savory aroma make.

"Just breathe through your mouth…"

"I can't. We're kissing."

A particularly bad breeze blew just then, sending both Edward and Bella away from their hiding place and back to the restaurant door.

"I should get home," Edward said. "So I can change. We're pretty much done for the day but we still have to report back to the main office, talk to the boss and all that."

Bella nodded, smoothing down her shirt. "Okay. Can we hang out tonight?"

"Of course." He kissed her again.

The door opened, almost sending them sprawling. "Um, no offense Bella, but you need to get your ass back in here. It's busy and we don't have all day to lick our wounds if you know what I'm sayin'," Lauren said, hand on a bony hip.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Come on."

Edward winked, giving his girl a little push on the bum.

* * *

"So, you get any alleyway action back there?" Emmett asked.

Edward stopped at a light and shook his head. "Nah, dude. It smelled like ass back there. Like – "

"Yeah, but Bella's got a nice ass –"

"Em!" Edward scowled, looking disbelievingly at his best friend. "I mean it smelled like garbage back there, literally. There was an overflowing dumpster!"

Emmett sat back, chastened. "My bad."

"And keep your eyes on Rosalie," Edward muttered.

Jasper, sitting between the other two in the truck, rolled his eyes. "All right, all right gentleman. Chill out. Em, you got the sign off sheet for Carlisle?"

"Right here," Em said, patting his briefcase. It was a little incongruous with his mode of employ but, what-evs. It kept their paperwork nice and oil/food/paint free.

"Good. Maybe now we can get the Ellison job since we finished the condos before Jake and those fools," Jasper said. "That's gonna be good money, man."

"Carlisle might just put us with Jake's crew, though," Edward said, pulling into the dust little parking lot where Carlisle's office was located. "It's a pretty big job."

Emily, the receptionist, greeted the trio with a smile and gestured toward the back office.

"Hey, boys," Carlisle said, rising from his chair. Even though he owned Cullen Construction, he still often worked out in the field, getting his hands dirty.

Besides, women liked rough, dirty men. He knew because Esme–

"Hey Dad," Edward said, plopping down on the chair in front of him.

"Hey Carlisle," Jasper and Emmett chimed, sitting alongside Edward.

"So, I got a very positive phone call from Alistair; he's quite pleased with the work you did on his condos. You have the paper work?"

Emmett handed over the documents.

"Excellent." Carlisle nodded, flipping through the stapled papers. "I would like to thank you boys for a job well done. I think you've earned the Ellison job –"

"Yes!" Emmett fist pumped.

"—along with Jake, Paul and Jared. You're going to need the extra man power."

Edward, Emmett and Jasper groaned collectively, already dreading the upcoming work weeks. Jake and his douche brigade were almost impossible to deal with. Cocky, cheesy mofros.

"Hey. Relax. It's a job, not a social call," Carlisle said, frowning. "Anyway, enjoy the rest of the day off. And… what is that smell? Who bathed in a brewery?"

"Ah, that's just Ed," Em said. "His chick dumped beer on his lap."

"That's nice," Carlisle said absently. "Why don't you come by tonight, bring the girls by? Esme's been on my case to have you all over for dinner. We'll even fire up the Jacuzzi."

Immediately, soft porn images of the Jacuzzi after dark filled Edward's mind.

And Emmett's. And even Jasper's. Once the girls were liquored up and the 'rents had gone to bed, it was on like popcorn.

"We'll be there."

* * *

Alice finished her evening pole dance routine to "Ice Ice Baby".

Wiping her forehead with a towel, she made her way inside, where Bella and Rose were painting their nails for their night out.

"I'm gonna go shower."

"Well, hurry," Bella urged. "They're going to be here in fifty three minutes."

At Rose's urging, Bella had worn one of her sexier dresses with a bikini underneath so it looked like she was more covered than she was. Or something. At least, that's what Rose had said.

The coral color "popped" against Bella's newly tan skin, and she had to admit –secretly—that she looked hot as hell.

By the time the boys arrived, the girls were set and ready to go (in any and every way). Emmett had insisted on driving his ginormous Jeep, which was set on oversized wheels, like a monster truck. He had to hoist the ladies in to the vehicle, which the exception of Bella, who Edward insisted on helping himself.

Rose sat up front with Emmett while Alice and Bella took laps in the back. This was a great arrangement for Jasper and Edward for obvious reasons, and it worked for Em because now he could focus on his Rose, who kept placing his hand at the warm apex of her thighs.

"Let's stop and get wine for dinner," suggested Jasper, noticing the store coming up on their right.

Unfortunately, they didn't notice until it was too late that Jake and the douche brigade were parked right alongside them.

And they'd totally noticed the girls.

In fact, Jake had his fingers in a 'V', and he was flicking his tongue between them at Bella, who grimaced in disgust.

Edward sighed, tightening his grip on his girl. "Yo, Jasper. Get my Glock."


	41. Waiter

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_bot beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - Waiter**_

* * *

Bella settled in to the booth and picked up a menu.

Alice had called to say she was running late, but that was okay. For once, Bella had nowhere to be, nowhere to rush off to.

Hot chocolate looked good, even though it was getting warm outside. Bella continued scanning the beverages. Maybe a cherry coke; they made them "from scratch" here.

A waiter appeared, smiling down at her. "Can I start you with something to drink?"

"Sure…" Bella was momentarily distracted by Alice rushing through the door at the other end of the restaurant. "My friend's here, actually. Give us a minute?"

"No problem. I'll be right back."

Alice grinned, sitting. "Hallo."

Bella smiled back. "Hey."

"I'm famished."

"So am I. Hurry up."

"All right, all right," Alice said, glancing over her menu. "Mm, tuna melt looks good…"

"I'm having the BLT."

"With fries… yes." Alice nodded to herself and put the menu down. Clasping her hands, she leaned forward, focusing on Bella. "So. You're thinking of staying, after all?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah. I feel like, in terms of opportunity – I probably have more here than back home."

"And this has nothing to do with Edward."

"Not really." Bella shrugged, noticing the waiter on his way back. "It's something to consider, but no. It's not the main reason."

They placed their orders. It was nice to be waited on for once, Bella thought to herself. She'd always enjoyed her work at the café, but it wasn't exactly her life calling.

Alice, watching Bella, hid a smile. She suspected her friend's reasons for staying on after graduation, and the summer, had more to do with Edward than she cared to admit. She'd watched the two of them grow close again over the past six months, and had listened to Bella's accounts of the ways Edward had opened up to her.

Initially she and Jasper had been suspicious, even protective, over Bella but it soon became apparent that Edward was after more than just a sure thing in bed.

Especially since, according to Bella, they hadn't even been back to bed.

Bella swirled her straw around her soda, pushing the cherry down and then watching it make its way back up. "I hope everything is going okay between him and his dad. He was really nervous about going."

Alice patted her hand. "I'm sure it will be. I don't know his dad, obviously, but i think most people in that situation are anxious to make amends so they can go in peace, you know? It sucks that it came to this, and that it's taken so long but… it's better than nothing."

"Totally." Bella nodded vigorously. "I guess I'm like… weirdly protective over Edward these days. I don't want him to get hurt."

"Well you can't control that, but you can be there for him if it happens."

Edward called later, when Bella was getting ready for bed.

"Hey! I was just thinking about you," she said, leaving one small lamp on for light.

"Yeah. Me too. I've been thinking of you all day. Wish you were here."

He sounded glum, and Bella's stomach knotted. "Are you okay? Did you get to spend time with your father?"

"I did. It was good." Edward exhaled. "But it hurt, Bella. He didn't really have any reason for leaving us… he just…left. Part of me loves him, and it's making me sad to see him this way but part of me resents him. Like, I hurt for me more than I hurt for him."

Bella bit her lip, not knowing what to say. She wanted to so badly to let Edward know that she loved him, she wanted him, and she'd be by his side. No one deserved to feel abandoned.

But this wasn't her fight, and there was only so much she could do or say.

"I wish I was there too." She sighed. "But it's better you guys have this time. I'll be here when you get back, I promise. I'll always be here."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What about the end of summer?"

Smiling, Bella slid further in to her sheets. "Probably after that, too."


	42. Wine

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompt - wine**_

* * *

It's not the first time I've been in Esme Cullen's kitchen, but it still impresses me. It's a gorgeous space, very wide open and modern. And yet, the personal touches and cooking smells make it feel very cozy.

"Another?" she asks, holding the bottle of wine we're sharing over my glass.

I pop a strawberry in to my mouth and nod, smiling. "Sure. Thanks, Esme."

"Of course." She smiles back and pours herself a glass as well. "I'm glad you kids you could make it out today. Things get a little hectic for us during the summer. We travel a lot."

"We've been wanting to come," I say, taking a sip. It's a really crisp, somewhat dry Pinot Grigio. I like it a lot, especially with the strawberries. I know next to nothing about wine pairing, so I just sort of make up my own rules, tasting and testing things out.

"And of course, there's Edward's birthday," Esme says, adding liberal amounts of feta to the huge salad she's just assembled. "Do the two of you have plans yet?"

I shake my head, feeling guilty. Truthfully, I haven't given Edward's birthday much thought –we've both been so busy lately. Still, it's the first one I get to celebrate with him and the fact that I haven't considered a celebration of some sort upsets me.

"No… is there something you guys usually do, or…"

Esme shakes her head, unaware of my issues. "Not really. We did throw him a huge surprise party for his thirtieth but, you know." She glances up at me, winking. "He's not a little boy. I'm sure he can plan his own birthday parties by this point."

Her impertinence makes me laugh. We're still smiling when Edward and his father walk in to the room, their jackets damp from the light summer rain.

"I hope Cuban bread is okay," Carlisle says, placing a bakery bag beside Esme.

She frowns. "Oh no… I specifically wanted baguettes!" Then she looks inside the bag and grins, poking him. "Oh, you."

Carlisle grins at me. "She's so easy to tease."

Edward shakes his head and tugs me out of the kitchen, where his parents are giggling amongst themselves.

"They're so ridiculously happy," I whisper, taking a large swallow of wine. I'm a little tipsy; this always seems to be the case when we come to his parent's for dinner. "I envy them."

"Your parents aren't happy?" asks Edward, sliding his arm around my waist.

"They are. Just… they've had rough times over the years too, you know?"

He nods. "The important thing is that they made it though, right?"

I nod. "Right."

He kisses my mouth and smirks. "You're drunk."

"Only a little."

"I should take you up upstairs and have my way with you."

"Please do." I reach down to cup him through his pants.

He looks out the window. "Rain has stopped. Want to go for a walk?"

"But the grass will be all wet."

"We can take off our shoes and go barefoot."

That sounds perfect, so that's what we do.

* * *

By the time Edward's birthday rolls around, I have plans.

He's one of those types that has everything, materially, but he seems to appreciate small gestures. I want the day to be filled with them.

He has work, but I wake early and make him breakfast in bed with a nice, sweet bj for dessert.

I have lunch delivered from his favorite sushi place, and I send him naughty pictures texts all day, little glimpses of the present he can unwrap later.

He tries to have me when we both get back from work, but I've made reservations at a restaurant he loves. His parents are there, along with his siblings – one of whom has come in from out of town just for tonight. The look on Edward's face is priceless when he realizes I've put this together and honestly, that's all I want.

Back at his house, he takes me to bed. His lovemaking is almost desperate, it's so wild, and I love it. I love him. We make out like teenagers in the shower afterwards.

"I'm going to get a glass of water. You want anything?" He's in his pajamas now. It's late, and we're both tired.

"Water's good," I say through a yawn.

I scan the page of the book I'm reading, trying to finish the chapter before Edward comes back and turns off the lights. Minutes later the bed dips, and then he's handing me a glass.

Sticking a piece of paper between the pages, I close my book and set it aside.

I'm just about to take a sip when I notice something at the bottom of my glass.

"There's…" I squint, holding it up to the light. It's a ring.

I swallow back the lump in my throat and look at Edward, who is watching me. There's so much love on his face, hope and vulnerability and a little nervousness, too.

Shaking, I gulp down the water until the glass is empty, and then I slide the ring out. It's beautiful, simple, but the diamond leaves no question as to what kind of ring it is. Edward reaches over to take it from me. He grabs my hand and squeezes.

"Bella."

I'm already crying, but I look at him.

"When you know, you know. I've known for awhile you were it for me. I hope I'm it for you, because I really want to spend my life with you. In one house."

He smiles and I laugh, nodding. "Yes."

The ring fits. I push him down and get on to his lap, covering his face with kisses.

"It's your birthday," I whisper. "You're the one who's supposed to get presents today."

"You said yes," he says, kissing me. "That's probably the best thing anyone's ever given me."


	43. Clear

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt - clear**_

* * *

Going back to work was kind of weird at first. My mind was elsewhere, all the time. I tried to focus, but it was as if I was seeing my old life – the life that had been current up until the Friday prior – through new eyes.

Knowing that I would very likely be leaving town soon, I spent as much time as possible with the girls. They were a little sad I was moving, but they supported me the way they always had.

And besides, I had high hopes that Edward and I would end up back home one day. I wouldn't obsess over that, because I would be where he was regardless, but it was a gut feeling. Something I just knew.

Like before, Edward and I communicated through email, text and the phone. Probably even more than before. I didn't stay home at night to chat, as I'd done before, but instead sent him messages throughout the day and then late at night, after having been with Alice and Rose.

I missed him so much, but hearing his voice and reading his words helped. Remembering our weekend together, and the words we'd shared, the promises, helped even more.

Edward had a six month lease and it had only been about three, so he was stuck in his apartment for a little while longer. He wanted me to help him pick out the new place when it was time, since I would be living there too. I'd started going online to sites like rentals dot com so I could see our options, and I'd often email him links and pictures of my findings.

Two weeks after I returned from my visit to Edward, I was at the grocery store. I was crampy and tired; it was just a matter of time before my period came and I was trying my hardest not to be too outwardly irritable to the people around me.

After adding a bottle of wine and a bag of Whoppers to the items in my cart, I made my way to the front to pay.

My phone rang, causing my heart to pound. It was Edward's ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Bella. You home?"

"No, not yet. I stopped at the store to pick up a couple of things. Why, what's up?"

"Oh, I sent you something… I mean an email. A house I saw. Call me once you've checked it out; I think we can get a good deal for it."

I grinned, balancing the phone between my ear and shoulder as I started loading my stuff on to the belt.

"Sounds great. I'll call you when I get home."

"Cool."

"Love you."

I could hear him smiling. "Love you too."

I was tempted to just access my Gmail account from my phone right there in the store, but that was silly. I'd be home soon enough and I could check then.

Unfortunately, I hit traffic on the way home.

"Damn," I muttered, drumming my fingers on the wheel. Apparently there was an accident ahead. The one time I wanted to get home fast, and we were barely moving.

Thankfully, though, the traffic jam did manage to clear itself up and I was able to dash home. I hurried upstairs, now needing to pee as well. Plus, I was almost desperate for a glass of wine.

I'd just powered up the laptop and taken a sip of Shiraz when the doorbell rang.

Frowning, I stood up again. Alice was out of town for the weekend and Rose had to work late, so I knew it was neither of them.

Squinting, I looked through the peephole.

Edward stood on the other side, grinning.

Laughing, I unlocked the door and yanked it open. "What are you doing here?" I almost splashed wine down the front of his shirt in my rush to hug him. "Is that… is that why you called to see if I was home?"

He nodded, still smiling.

"Sneaky!" I stood to the side so he could come in.

He put down his carryon and pulled me close, kissing me. "I had time this weekend and I didn't want to spend it by myself."

Sighing, I nodded. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

I guess we meant since the last time we'd been together, just two weeks before, but it felt like we were being a lot more general than that. Because I did miss him, in every sense of the word.

And by how he kissed me, he missed me in that way too.


	44. League

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Crystal beachin'/Heart**_

_**prompt - league**_

* * *

"What?" Bella screeched, trying to turn around in the tight space of the backseat so she could see Edward. "A gun?"

But Edward simply rolled down the window while Jasper handed over a Super Soaker 50, calmly pumping it a few times in the process.

Outside, Jake's eyes widened. He held his hands up in self defense, but Edward was merciless. He shoved Bella on to Jasper and Alice, and then let loose a spray of water on the Douche Pack, making sure to focus on faces and crotches.

His Glock might have looked innocent with its primary color scheme, but the force was strong with it.

"Eff you, Cullen!" Jake snarled, peeling out of the parking lot.

Emmett returned to the Jeep, his steps faltering. "What the hell was that?" His eyes fell to the backseat. "Did you unleash the Glock on Jake?"

"Sure did," Edward said smugly, dropping his pretend piece to the floor. He reached for Bella and pulled her back on to his lap.

Bella, however, was not that impressed by Edward's show of manhood. While she'd definitely been disgusted by "Jake's" leer and disgusting gesture, she'd felt that Edward's response was more for his benefit than hers. She was glad the ordeal was over.

Emmett rolled his eyes and got back in to the driver's seat, handing the grocery bag to Rose. "Let's get out of here before we run in to anyone else."

Carlisle and Esme Cullen lived in a huge beach house at the end of town. Apparently, Edward's family was originally from California, but had often spent summers in Destin. When Edward graduated high school, his parents took the opportunity to move east, where they'd built a home and started a thriving construction business.

Meanwhile, Edward had plans to be a doctor –he would be continuing his pre-med education in the fall, back in LA, but he and his friends were in Destin until late August.

"So you guys have always lived near the ocean," Bella mused, staring up at the lovely house as they got out of the Jeep.

Edward grabbed her hand. "Yep. Always."

Esme answered the door with a beatific smile. She had the largest breasts and the whitest teeth Bella had ever seen. She was perfect like… Barbie's mom.

"Hey, Mom." Edward planted a kiss on her cheek. "This is Bella."

Esme turned her mega-watt grin on Bella. "Welcome to our humble abode. You and Edward are welcome to come anytime…and to stay anytime. I know there's not much room in that dingy little apartment the boys insist on staying in and honestly, you can't romance a girl in a bed you share with –"

"Hello, boys," Carlisle boomed, tucking Esme in to his side. "Ladies, welcome to our home." He stuck his hand out to Bella, who was still blushing from Esme's rather enthusiastic overtures about her son's sex life.

"H-hi," Bella said, shaking the older man's hand. Hot damn, he was a fine specimen. Almost even sexier than Edward.

After the flurry of introductions and small talk had died down, the Cullens led their guests further in to the house.

Bella felt a little out of her league. This place was not only huge, it was classy.

Alice liked the energy of the house. It was spacious and open, yet cozy and familial. She sensed nothing but good vibes, and sidled up to Esme to ask her if she engaged in yoga here.

Rose liked the place well enough, but she was more interested in possible areas she and Emmett could sneak away to later. They'd need to satisfy their sexual appetites once they'd taken care of their bellies.

After a lovely dinner of lobster, roasted new potatoes, fresh greens and Esme's special mojitos, the group convened out by the pool to enjoy the massive hot tub. Nestled in to the deck, it overlooked the ocean, which at the moment featured a brilliant setting sun.

Bella was initially a bit awkward at the thought of disrobing in front of Edward's parents. After all, she was in a tinier bikini than usual.

But then Carlisle and Esme started making out. Like, tongues were visible. The boys ignored it at first. Bella, Rose and Alice went from uncomfortable to amused to slightly grossed out at the display, and after awhile even Edward looked annoyed.

He splashed his parents. "Why don't you head up to the hot tub upstairs?"

They said a hurried goodnight and practically ran off, stopping only to wrap themselves in towels before disappearing inside.

"Wow," Alice said. "It's nice to see a couple that's so… healthy with their affections."

Jasper snorted. "You mean horny as hell? Yeah."

"I'm surprised you're an only child," teased Rose, flicking water at Edward.

"I'm the youngest of six," he sighed, tugging Bella back on to his lap.

"Holy canoli!" Bella cried. "For serious? I'm an only child." She secretly hoped she'd look half as good as Esme after childbearing.

Emmett passed around one of the bottles of wine he'd bought earlier, and before long everyone was nice and toasty.

"Game time," Rose said, finishing off the bottle.

"Grrrreat," groaned Bella. She always sucked at these stupid games, especially the oversexed ones Rose favored.

"Oh shush, Sister Bella," Rose said. "Okay. Truth or Dare. I'll go first."

Under the water, Edward adjusted himself. Bella felt him do so and wiggled further back, making things harder for him.

"You better stop or I'll dare you to do something," he whispered into her ear.

"Bring it," she whispered back, snazzy with liquid courage.

"Oh, it's been broughted," he whispered with an upward thrust.


	45. Marker

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - Marker**_

* * *

Exhausted.

Emotionally and physically exhausted. Edward dragged himself through the front door, barely stopping to lock it before heading straight to the bathroom. He really wanted to just go to bed, but driving all day had left him craving a hot shower.

Once he was in bed though, he reached for his phone. He'd spoken to Bella on and off throughout the day while he was on the road. She'd been busy, but always available for him. He appreciated that; he appreciated her.

"Hey."

"Hey! You back yet?"

"Yeah. Just took a shower… I'm gonna hit the sack, though. I'm worn out."

"I bet." Bella paused. "Thanks for letting me know you were back; I've been thinking about you all day."

Edward's heart squeezed; he'd never known how good it could be to hear someone say that until now.

"You've… been on my mind, too," he said, his voice quiet.

Bella, who was also in bed, smiled. She couldn't help but love that he thought of her the way she thought of him. Stretching, she placed the book she'd been reading on the night table and turned off the light.  
"I'll call you in the morning, okay?"

"Yeah. Night, Bella."

"Night."

They disconnected, but not really. Unbeknownst to the other, their thoughts remained tangled until one, and then both, of them found sleep.

* * *

Bella had just finished refreshing the menu when Jasper called for her.

Capping the green dry erase marker, she headed to the kitchen. "What's up?"

"You down to do a delivery?"

Bella frowned. "Delivery? To who?"

Jasper smirked, handing her a small paper bag. "Cullen called. He's laid up at work but just _had_ to have the chicken salad on rye."

Smiling, she took the bag. "I see."

"Don't take too long, now," he teased.

"Yeah, yeah."

Edward's office was about ten minutes away, on the other side of downtown.

He and his associates worked in a renovated loft. It was a very open, industrial looking space, made personal by all of the ongoing projects they had going. Bella had been once or twice, way before.

A couple of people – Jessica, Paul – recognized Bella and smiled, motioning for her to go on back to Edward's cubicle.

There was stuff everywhere: paper work covered the desk, but more interestingly, pictures and keepsakes covered the walls. Fascinated, she studied the images, seeing herself in more than a couple of snapshots.

Edward wheeled around in his chair, visibly startling at Bella's presence. He wrapped up his phone call and slipped his headphones off of his ears. "Hi."

"Hi," Bella said, rolling her eyes as she handed over Edward's lunch.

He had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry…I'm swamped today and… I just…I wanted to see you."

Bella's heart swelled. Before she could convince herself not to, she sat in his lap and hugged him, kissing his hair. "It's okay. I missed you while you were gone. I wish I could have been there with you."

Trembling slightly, Edward put the bag on his desk and wrapped his arms around Bella. She felt so good in his arms, solid and warm and soft. "I missed you too."

They sat quietly for a moment, savoring the feel of another body, the very human need of physical touch.

"Do you want to come over later?" Edward asked, bracing himself for when she said no.

Bella exhaled slowly, wanting desperately to say and do the right things. In the end, though, she had to do what she felt in her heart was right. And she wanted to spend time with Edward, for sure.

"Yeah, I would. Want me to bring dinner?"

"I'll make something."

Bella leaned back, eyebrows raised. "You'll make something?"

Edward smiled. "I'll get something for us."

She grinned, giving him one last squeeze before rising. "I'll be there."

"Okay." He ran his hand through his hair, feeling better than he had in days.

"Hey."

Edward looked up.

Bella ruffled his hair. "I love you too. Just so you know."


	46. Whore

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompt - whore**_

* * *

"So you'll never guess who called Edward last night." I poke at my Caesar salad.

Rose takes a sip of water. "Ugh. Don't tell me it was the ex."

"It was. She said she'd heard through the grapevine that he was getting married again, and that she wished him all the best."

"Oh. That's not so bad, I guess."

"And then she started asking if he was really ready, and if "the new girl" knew what she was getting in to."

"Whore." Rose scowls, tearing at her bread roll.

"I may or may not have had a similar reaction," I admit, settling back in my chair. "Like, you hear about bitchy exes, but encountering them is just weird."

"Does she live around here?"

"No, but I guess her family does, so she has ties."

"How did Edward take it?"

I smile, remembering. "Actually, he didn't really react at all. He thanked her for calling and hung up. He was really civil about the whole thing."

Rose nods. "Wow. That's cool, I guess."

"It is." I shrug. "I mean, it's weird she called but… it was nice seeing that she had absolutely no bearing on Edward's mood. At all."

"It's been a long time."

"Yeah, it has." I check the time. Edward had to work late, so I decided to take Rose out to dinner. It's been awhile since we've done this, being busy with work and relationships and life in general, and it feels really good to reconnect.

"So. The wedding." Rose wipes her mouth and drops the napkin back on to her empty plate. "You started any actual planning yet? Any ideas?" She grins, rolling her eyes. "Has Alice started coordinating yet?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "Alice has been behaving herself…although I did mysteriously start receiving both _Martha Stewart Weddings _and _Brides _in the mail this month."

"No, you didn't!" cackles Rose. "That's hilarious."

"I know, I know. It is. There are some pretty inspiring pictures though." I feel myself blush. "I've been bookmarking like crazy."

"Aw! Do you know where you want to do it?"

I shake my head. "That's the thing. Edward doesn't want to get married in a church, but I do. But neither of us wants the other to have to compromise… I don't know. We'll figure it out."

"Yeah, you will." Rose nods. "He's so relaxed, and you're so… you."

I grin, tossing my napkin at her. Somehow, I know just what she means.

* * *

I'm sitting up in bed, leafing through yet another bridal magazine that has found its way to my mailbox, when Edward comes home.

We're at my house tonight; it's one of the last times. Saturday is moving day, and then he gets his wish of cohabitation.

"Hey, babe." He drops a kiss on my head and begins to loosen his tie. "Hm. I like that one."

I look down at the picture he's pointing to. It's long white table beneath a tree, with all of the fixings for an ice cream social on top of it. It's both elegant and whimsical, and I'd been admiring it before he walked through the door.

"Really?" I smile, nodding. "I like that one, too. But… I don't know that I want ice cream instead of a cake."

"Bella." He's down to his boxers and button down now. He nudges me over and flattens me on to my back. The magazines crinkle beneath us. "Everyone knows ice cream goes with cake."

"I don't like them together."

"I do."

"Good. Then we can have both, and I'll eat mine separately."

He smiles, leaning down to kiss me.

"So it'll be a summer wedding?" I hold him away, knowing I'm teasing him. "Ice cream's pretty summer time…"

He fakes to the left and nips my neck, making me squeal. "That's almost a year away; you crazy?"

"Then when?" He's tickling me now. Paper tears as I laugh and protest, pushing him away.

"Spring."

"Okay, okay!" I kiss his face. "Spring."

He lets up, rolling to my side, pushing the rumpled magazines off the bed.

Feeling feisty now, I sit up and straddle him. "Okay. So we'll do it in the springtime. But I'd still like to do it in a church."

"I know, I know." He slips his hands beneath my t-shirt and holds my hips. "I've been thinking about that…"

"And?"

"And, if it's a big deal to you, then we should do it. As long as we can have the reception outdoors."

"Of course we'll have it outdoors," I say, leaning down to kiss him. He lets me, and after a moment, I feel him harden beneath me. Moving to his neck, I suck at his skin, loving his reaction.

"Mm. Compromise never felt so good," he moans.

"You're so cheesy," I whisper, going back to his mouth.

* * *

_reunited, and it feels so good!_

_circumventing ffnet's stupidness feels so good, too..._


	47. Stockings

_ All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt- stockings**_

* * *

We ordered pizza and stayed in, which is pretty much what I'd been planning on doing anyway.

"So…have you really found a place?" I asked, eating a mushroom that had fallen on to my plate. "Or were you bluffing?"

"No, I really did find something," he said. "We can look at it when we're done… or tomorrow, even. I have the reference number and the website."

"Cool." I nodded, looking around. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Maybe in a while." He leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. "I'm kind of tired, actually."

"Let me guess: you want to 'go to bed' soon," I said, smirking.

He grinned. "What's wrong with that? I've had a long day."

"So have I," I said, playing along. I stood and collected our empty plates and cups. "I'm exhausted."

Edward helped me clean up and then followed me to the bed room, where he'd left his suitcase earlier.

"It really is weird to be back here," he said. "Surreal."

I bit my lip, trying to see the room the way he saw it. It looked the way it had the day he'd left, give or take a couple of minor changes. I'd gotten new sheets for one thing, and a new comforter, hoping the fresh scent and unfamiliar patterns would help me get over Edward. It didn't work.

"Remember the year you put coal in my stocking?" he asked suddenly, chuckling.

"Remember the year you put _stockings in my stocking_?" I shot back. "Those slutty thigh high fish nets?"

His chuckle turned to a fully fledged belly laugh, and he sank on to the bed. "You looked really good in those, though, you have to admit."

"I admit nothing."

"You still have those?"

I marched over to the dresser and dug around my underwear drawer, locating the stockings in seconds. "And I still have these, too." I tossed the pink boxers at him.

"I'll wear these of you wear those," he offered.

"No deal."

"Aw, come on Bella…"

"Nope. Go take a shower."

"Fine."

I smiled. "Fine."

As tempted as I was to join him in the shower as I had done many times before in our past, I still respected that we were building back. It would be so easy to slide in to old habits, and while not all of those things were bad, I just wanted to be really vigilant.

In many ways, I was allowing Edward to take the lead in our renewed relationship. It wasn't that I wanted to let him run things, but I felt the need to take my cues from him for the time being. Going to see him had been a big enough step on my part, and I didn't want him to feel crowded.

Turns out I needn't have worried.

After a shower of my own, I walked in to the bedroom to find Edward in bed, dozing. He'd turned out the lights in the rest of the apartment.

I wondered if he'd put on the pink boxers.

Quietly, I crossed to my dresser and pulled out a long sleeping shirt. I dropped my towel and put it on, and then loosened my ponytail so I'd be more comfortable in bed.

I turned and blinked, startled. Edward was watching me now, his eyes sleepy but intent in a way I knew quite well. It was the look that would get me to wear those silly stockings for sure, if he pushed the issue enough.

Aware now that his eyes followed my every step, I hung my towel in the bathroom and turned the last light off.

"Good night," I whispered, joining Edward under the covers.

He reached over and pulled us together, his hand up under my shirt, on my naked hip. "Not yet."


	48. Coop

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - coop**_

* * *

So she loved him.

Honestly, Edward had to wonder if the love Bella had spoken of was romantic or platonic. He'd gratefully accept either one from her – she was special and people like her didn't come around often – but in his heart, he hoped she'd meant it the way he had when he'd said it.

His mind lingered on her long after she left, long after his sandwich was gone and he'd resumed the frantic pace of work the office was so used to.

Later, Edward stopped at the local coop to stock up on the items he wanted to have for dinner with Bella. He couldn't cook, but he could provide a nice spread. They could have an indoor picnic or something.

As if she was mentally right there with him, Bella called right as Edward put a bouquet of flowers in to his cart.

"Hey… did you want me to bring anything?" she asked. "Dessert? Beer?"

"Just you."

She laughed a little. "I'm already at the store, Edward. Just tell me what you need…"

"I'm at the store, too," he said, smiling.

"Which…"

Edward waited for her to go on; frowning when he realized the call had been dropped. He glanced at the screen and pressed call, hoping to reach her again.

"Boo!" Bella's voice came out of nowhere.

Edward spun around, clutching his cell in one hand and a box of overpriced, organic chocolates in the other. "Hey!"

"Fancy meetin' you here," she said, her eyes flickering to the flowers and chocolate. "If I didn't know better, I'd think we were having a date."

Edward shrugged, tossing the chocolate in to the car. "Maybe we are."

"You romancing me, Cullen?"

"Cullen?" Edward snorted. "You sound like Jasper."

"I know." Bella grinned, nodding. "So… don't dodge the question. Is this a date?"

He shrugged, continuing on down the aisle.

She kept up with him, bumping her hip against him. "We can finish shopping together. Want me to make cookies later?"

"You're supposed to relax this time."

"Baking is relaxing."

He gave her a look. "I just want to chill tonight, Bella. With you."

Bella nodded, seeing the seriousness cross Edward's face. He obviously needed her; it had been a tough couple of days for him. She wanted to be there for him, too, however he needed.

"Okay. But I'm bringing these." She showed him the six pack in her basket.

He cracked a smile. "Go for it."

Even though things were the same between them, technically they'd shifted. Bella felt it, and she had a feeling Edward did too – hence the date-like feeling of the evening.

Feeling slightly anxious, she finished getting ready and then left a note for Alice, letting her know she might be out late.

Edward answered the door, barefoot and perfect in the jeans Bella loved most on him. She thought about past times she had seen him in them, back when things were tense and smoldering between them. She had to admit that much: even when their status was unsure and she didn't know how Edward felt about her, their chemistry had always been on off the charts. She'd always been so wickedly attracted to him, even during the months she'd pulled away.

She liked that she'd gotten to know an inside part of him that rivaled the attractive outer packaging, though. That made a big difference.

If Edward noticed her nervousness, he didn't mention it. He welcomed her inside with a light hug and kiss on the cheek, and then led her to the dining room, where the table was covered in all sorts of yummy looking food.

Midway through their meal, the conversation veered from light hearted topics to heavier ones, and Edward finally told Bella of all things he'd felt and experienced during his visit to see his father. There wasn't much Bella could do beside listen, but that was all Edward needed and wanted from her anyway. For the most part, he'd come to peace with the situation. He knew that there were some old wounds that might take years to heal, but he was no longer as bitter as he had been once.

Soon, their bellies were full and their conversation mellowed.

"Let me help you carry this stuff in," Bella said.

Edward shook his head. "I got it."

Bella smiled and followed him in to the kitchen anyway.

Edward pulled the box of chocolates out and opened them, popping one in to this mouth and then one in to Bella's.

Her eyes practically rolled back. "Mm… oh jeez. This is good."

"Yeah?" Edward smiled slowly, chewing another one.

"Mm…" She reached for another.

Edward waited until the chocolate was in mouth, and then he kissed her lightly on her lips. She blinked in surprise, touching her mouth.

And then, heart pounding, she reached up and kissed his back.

* * *

_between a rather spotty internet connection at our new house, the exhaustion that moving brings, and the ongoing ff net fail, rochelle has been rather fail herself with updating ye olde witfits. but, things should be a-ok from now on. thanks for the love and patience, guys! xoxo_


	49. Jammies

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh**_

_**prompt - jammies**_

* * *

I rested my hand on his hip the same way he'd rested his on mine.

Bare skin.

"No jammies?" I whispered.

His eyes crinkled as he smiled.

"No pink boxers?" I said, pressing up against him. He was so warm.

He tugged on my t-shirt until I sat up and let him take it off. "I missed you," he said.

"I missed you, too."

"No… I mean, I've missed you. Even when I was here still… I missed you."

I swallowed, my throat tightening. I knew what he meant, even though once I hadn't.

"I wish you'd told me then," I said, touching my hand to his chest. "I just… I didn't know. Not till you were gone."

He pulled me back down so we were lying side by side. I loved him so much it hurt a little, especially knowing I'd had this and lost it and maybe now could have it again. It was precious to me; he was precious to me. "I'm sorry," I whispered. I had to whisper: if I used my voice I'd surely cry and I didn't want that.

I just wanted to be with Edward.

"Shh." He pulled me closer, and then rolled on top of me. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not like that," I said. My eyes had adjusted to the dark and I could see him now. I ran my fingers across his face, watching his eyes flutter when I got too close to them. "I want you to tell me. Anything. I want us to be that way again, honest and communicative and just… together."

He nodded, lowering down to kiss me.

"I want to marry you," I said, wrapping my legs around him. "I don't want to wait. We've spent enough time together and enough time apart. I know what I want."

"I know what I want, too."

"Will we get married?"

He stared down at me. "Yes."

And then I was so full I could hardly stand it. I reached down between us and put him inside, moving around until I'd adjusted to him. He exhaled quickly, like he was surprised.

"I'll always love you," I said, and this time I did cry.

But not because I was upset.

Afterwards, when we were finally falling asleep, he touched my hand.

"I'll always love you, too, Bella."

* * *

The house Edward had found was nice, but somehow it wasn't right.

It was okay, but now we were getting married.

Married.

I didn't know why this was so crazy intense; we'd been together probably more years than we'd been apart, in a way.

But it was.

And suddenly the home that would have worked as a temporary dwelling for a couple was nowhere near what we needed as a starter home for marriage.

It would probably take more time to find that, and right now there were so many other things vying for my attention.

Telling my parents. Telling my friends.

Edward.

Edward.

Edward.

"Where'd you go?" he asked, tapping his fingers across my knuckles.

I blinked, coming back to the moment. To him, the computer screen, the houses.

"I'm here," I said.

And I was.


	50. Enough

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Crystal Beachin'/Heart**_

_**prompt - enough**_

* * *

Thankfully, the majority of the dares passed around involved couples doing things to each other. Now that Rose was banging Emmett, Alice and Jasper were together, and Edward and Bella were a pair, no one really wanted to upset the balance of things by switching up – even for a game.

However, that didn't stop the bys from daring the girls to flash their boobs, or the girls from daring the boys to streak around the perimeter of the house.

By the time they were done playing their juvenile and over-sexed version of Truth or Dare, they were all more than well acquainted. Indeed.

"I'm taking Alice on a walk down the beach," Jasper said, standing up. "Anyone wanna come?"

Rose jumped up next, forgetting that one of her boobs was still spilling out of her teeny weeny bikini. Em leisurely reached up to fix it.

"Hey Em, I gotta pee; show me the bathroom," she said meaningfully. "The upstairs bathroom. The one you were telling me about."

Emmett frowned, but he climbed out of the hot tub, pausing to help Rose out. "Uh…okay?"

And then Edward and Bella were alone, with nothing but starlight, the tinkling of wind chimes and the far off crash of ocean waves.

"What're you thinking 'bout?" Edward asked, squeezing Bella's hips.

She slid off of his lap so that she could see his face a little better. "How glad I am I met you."

He grinned. "Yeah?"

Bella nodded shyly, biting her lip.

"I'm glad I met you too. It's like we were meant to be," he said.

Her heart soared with such words.

They sat quietly for a moment, drunk and happy beyond reason.

"So, tell me something," Bella began, skimming her hand across the surface of the water. The timer for the bubbles had gone off, and now the water was still. "Why were you so emo the first day we met?"

Edward frowned earnestly, trying to remember.

"You were on the beach… on a towel…" she prompted.

"Oh yeah." He made a face. "I was upset over this girl…"

Bella's heart jumped, and she bristled in jealousy. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, but… it was nothing. She's nothing. I know that now."

"Hmph." Bella rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Oh, come on," laughed Edward. "You can't be made…this was before I even met you! You're like, a thousand million times better than Tanya ever was. Knowing what I know now, being with you, man… that chick could never be enough for me. Never."

Bella softened. She'd known that she and Edward shared a delicious, powerful attraction, but hearing all of this from his mouth was super special. It made her want to do things for him, and to him.

"For reals?" she asked.

"For reals, girl."

Bella smiled sexily, and then got back on to Edward's lap, only this time she sat facing him, her knees on either side. Edward reacted to this new position accordingly, pulling Bella closer so that she was on his merry maker.

"I gotta tell you something," Bella breathed, leaning close so that Edward's face was cozily nestled between her breasts.

"Mmm, anything," he moaned, darting his tongue out. "You taste like butter cream…."

"Edible body frosting, baby."

"Mmm, yeah…"

"So listen," Bella prompted.

"Listening."

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "I've never done it before."

Edward nosed her bikini top aside so that one boob was exposed. Bella shivered in the breeze, hoping no one could see them. "I know," he said after a moment.

"What? How?"

"Cuz you said that one night you'd never been kissed properly… so I kinda figured that meant you were also a virgin."

Bella blushed. "Is that okay?"

"So okay."

"You sure?"

"Why?" Edward popped off of her nipple long enough to smirk up at her. "You gonna let me change that for you?"

To his surprise, Bella nodded.

Edward's smile disappeared. "For serious?"

"So serious," Bella cooed, leaning down to make out with Edward. She knew tonight wasn't the night to go all the way – not yet – but she hoped it would be soon.

"We don't have to take our clothes off…to have a good time," Edward sang, helping Bella move on his lap.

She got the hint, and before long they were dry humping passionately underneath the stars.

Because making out beneath the Milky Way is hot, but making your own Milky Way is smokin'.


	51. Comical, Cynical

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

not beta'd

storyline - Countdown

prompt - comical, cynical

* * *

I sit beside Edward, anxiously tapping my fingers against my knee.

"It'll be fine, Bella."

"I know."

He switches the hand he's using to steer so he can hold mine. "They already know we're getting married, babe. What could you possibly be nervous about?"

"My dad's just…so particular about stuff. He can be a little cynical, you know? He hates that we're living together…" I trail off; trying to shake off the less than positive feelings I have concerning the upcoming week.

"Has he said anything?" Edward asks, glancing over at me. "Lately, I mean?"

I shake my head.

"So, only when you told him, right? The first time."

I nod.

Edward sighs, squeezing my hand briefly before letting go. "Bella, that's… kind of typical, I think. You're his only daughter, you know? I know we have different views on religion or whatever, but even if we didn't, I bet he'd still be protective."

"I know. I just really want this to go smoothly. Hopefully things have been okay at work so he'll be in a good mood when they get here."

Edward snorts. "Trust me, I feel the same."

It's the first time my parents have come out to visit since Edward and I became so serious. We have visited them – twice – and now it's our turn to host. Despite my misgivings, my Dad is probably not as bad as I'm making him out to be. He's a good man, a fair one, and besides his gruff nature, he's actually pretty non-judgmental. Now that I'm an adult, I can see that it is his attitude and example that make his faith, as well as my own, genuine.

Had he been a big old legalistic meanie, I may not have been so accepting of his church, his beliefs or his rules. But my parents usually always practiced what they preached, making it easy to respect them - even if I didn't always like their decisions growing up. We're still pretty close, and I think that's one of the reasons I'm so anxious for them to approve of me now.

Of Edward and me, especially.

We take the exit that leads us to the airport and park. My parent's flight landed just minutes before, so we have time before they make it down to baggage claim.

I tug on my skirt and smooth my hair.

"You look perfect," he whispers, his breath on my ear making me blush.

"Stop it," I warn, but I clasp his hand, loving him so much.

"There they are."

I turn to where he's pointing and almost laugh, the scene is so comical. I don't even know how he got it on the plane, but my father is dragging the bulkiest carry-on I've ever seen behind him. My mom sees us first, and she waves, smiling widely.

Suddenly I feel okay, like maybe my nerves were for nothing. I hug my mom while Edward shakes my father's hand, and then hug my dad while my mom grabs Edward. There's all this excited chattering and motioning and then my father rushes off to retrieve the first of their suitcases from the carousel, Edward close behind to help.

"So your flight was good?" I ask.

My mother nods. "Yes, it was. You know how cheap they are these days with snacks, so, Dad brought his own." She motions toward the oversized carryon. "He schmoozed, using his cop status to get them to accept this thing."

"Ugh, shameless," I say, grinning. My father always did have a thing for snack food.

He and Edward come back a minute later, laden with baggage.

"We should grab one of those luggage cart things," Edward says, looking around for one.

I can see my father's about to protest, so I rush off to the closest cart I see, pay to unlock it, and drag it back. "There. That'll make things easier. How long are you guys staying, anyway? Jeez…" I laugh.

"Mom wanted to bring a few things for the house…"

"Hush, Charlie, it's supposed to be a surprise."

He shrugs, eyes twinkling as he looks at me.

And I realize that regardless of whatever, no matter what he thinks, he's still my Dad and I'm still his girl. He's always been good at making me feel loved, even when he disagrees with me.

I can't wait for them to see our place, to meet Carlisle and Esme, to see the park we have picnics on and the restaurant where we had our first date. I'll bring my mother on the train where I met Edward, and we'll show my parents the church we've chosen to exchange our vows.

It's going to be good. I'm so grateful they're here.


	52. Curious

_ All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning**_

_**prompt - curious **_

_** almost to the end of this storyline. one, maybe 2 more chapters._

* * *

It was a playful kiss.

Edward smiled again, wider. He had chocolate all over his teeth.

The tiny pinch of panic Bella had felt dissipated and she laughed, covering her mouth.

"What?" he asked, knowing exactly 'what'.

She shook her head and pointed. "You've got the messiest mouth right now…"

Before she could say anything else, he grabbed her arms and wiped his face all over hers.

Bella shrieked and ducked away, letting Edward chase her out of the kitchen, through the dining room and to the couch, where he tackled her. They wrestled for a minute, snorting and laughing.

"You have it all over your mouth too, you know," he said, easing his weight off of her after a while.

If there were boundaries, blurry as they were, he didn't want to mistakenly cross them. Sure, she knew he loved her and she'd said she loved him, but that didn't mean she wanted him all over her.

She felt so good beneath him, though.

Bella shivered a little, her heart still pounding. This was different.

Different than the past couple of months, for sure. They had been careful to remain just friends, never crossing the line in to anything even remotely physical beyond the occasional hug or touch. And it was different from way before, too, from the days when Edward and Bella were _very_ physical. They'd had the spark back then but not the friendship, leaving a lot of their interactions empty.

But now they were as close as two people could be. Bella felt it, and so did Edward. Even if they chose to never go beyond what they had at this moment, they would be content.

No, that was a lie. Bella wanted more, and it was becoming more and more difficult to keep her feelings hidden.

Edward threw a curious glance down at Bella as he helped her to her feet. "What's up?"

She came closer and drew him in to her arms, holding him tightly. He hugged her back, pressing her as close to his body as he could. Her hair smelled good, her warmth felt good, and he really, really wanted to kiss her.

Every second that passed made it more awkward for Bella. She didn't want to do something she'd regret, but every part of her yearned to be close to Edward. She missed his kisses, but her heart would surely break if they found themselves back at square one, guarded and unable to properly communicate.

If she was honest with herself, though, she didn't think that would happen. Edward had changed, and so had she.

After a moment, he pulled away, kissing her forehead. "Want more chocolate? I'm pretty sure I saw a caramel chew in there…"

Mind racing, Bella nodded and allowed him to lead her back to the kitchen.

She hopped up on the counter and watched him poke around the chocolate box, pretending the mood between them was business as usual.

"Here it is," he said, holding out the caramel.

Bella accepted it, hooking her foot around Edward's leg so that he had to come closer.

It was obvious now what was going on, and he was tired of playing games. He put box down and came to stand between her legs, his face inches away from hers.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered.

So he did, and she kissed him back, relieved. Slow and sweet, it was the probably best kiss Bella had ever had. She wrapped both legs and both arms around him in an effort to press him as close to her as possible, and he brought his arms around her in the same way.

"Is this okay?" he asked, kissing her ear. "I don't want you to…"

"Yes."

"Bella? I really love you."

"I know, Edward." She cupped his face between her hands and kissed his closed eyelids. "I really love you, too."


	53. Always Been

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Laugh (**this is the last chapter**)**_

_**prompt - "It's always been you," he whispered.**_

* * *

Six months after Edward left and I went chasing him down, I moved from Seattle to be with him permanently in Phoenix.

We found a townhouse near the downtown area, on a somewhat quiet street. I'd brought references with me from back home, and after a while Edward was able to get me an interview through the friend of a friend. I'd taken a pay cut to be there, but it didn't matter.

I missed the lush green of Washington State, but I soon fell in love with the natural beauty of my new home. I planted cactus and other native plants and flowers in our modest backyard, glad for the chance to spend time outside.

Even though it did get disgustingly hot at times.

But all that mattered was that Edward and I were together. His ring was on my finger and we had plans for a small wedding later in the fall. I wanted a cat, so he let me get one. He let me decorate the place the way I saw fit, and I let him work crazy long hours because his job demanded it, and I'd known what I was getting in to when we'd gotten engaged.

Besides, it was that time in of life, when things are full to the brim, and there's this hectic pace but it's sort of wonderful too, like we were doing it, really _living_… adults.

I could appreciate it for what it was, because it wouldn't always be this way. Things would evolve, only this time, we'd evolve with them.

* * *

His hand covered mine.

"Are you happy?" I asked.

I knew I was.

Overflowing, in fact.

He nodded, his face calm but contented. "Very much."

"I can't wait to see this place… all of the travel sites said it was gorgeous…"

Edward smiled, glancing at me every now and then as I rambled on about the spot we'd chosen for our honeymoon. After doing some research, we'd opted to road trip to Tucson's Sonoran Desert and stay at the Ritz Carlton in Dove Mountain. I couldn't wait to see it; I'd heard it had amazing sunsets and stargazing.

Eventually I quieted, lulled to silence by the stark, vivid beauty of the passing landscape.

"I'm glad we're doing this," I said, sighing.

"Me too," Edward said, nodding. "Couldn't think of a better way to celebrate."

My heart fluttered. I'd almost lost this man, but now I never, ever would. We were joined legally but more importantly we were joined as one on the inside now too.

"Did you think…? I mean, when you left, did you ever think we'd get back together?"

He shook his head. "I had my doubts. You know that."

"I'm glad you changed your mind."

"I'm glad you came out here. I still remember reading your chat when you told me you were coming. I thought you'd lost it," he said, chuckling. He linked our hands together.

"I probably had, a little," I admitted. "But it was worth it."

He nodded.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without you," I said. "Any of it. You know? You met me in the middle."

Again, he nodded, bringing our joined hands to his mouth to kiss.

The hotel was as grand and luxurious as we'd anticipated.

We holed up in our room for a couple of hours, enjoying room service in our fluffy bed, and when night fell, we stepped out on to the balcony to take in the brisk night air and the pristine night sky.

"Guess I should've known," Edward said suddenly, standing behind me and wrapping his arms around us both.

"Mm?"

"It's always been you," he whispered.

My heart was so full it overflowed as tears. I slipped my fingers through his, loving him.


	54. Choir

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin'**_

_**prompt - choir**_

* * *

Bella didn't have much experience with boys and sex, but if Edward's moaning and groaning was any indication, he was about to blow his load. She was pretty close, too.

Rose said that coming together was extra special, so Bella tried to time her orgasm to match Edward's.

"B-B-Bell-aah," he panted suddenly, holding her really tight around her waist.

"Is this it?" she breathed excitedly. "Are you gonna come?"

"Yes! Are you?"

"Yes!"

"Yeah?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

They rode it out for a couple of moments, as sweet and sticky as the hot buns as McDonalds on Sunday morning.

"Wow," Bella said, collapsing against Edward, her nipple slipping from his mouth. "I think I actually heard a choir of angels, that was so beautiful."

Edward thought that might have been the classical music his parents tended to play after their lovemaking, but he kept that to himself. Last thing he wanted to think about was those two doin' it, especially when he had Hottie McHottie on his lap.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think we should like…clean the Jacuzzi?"

"Probably."

"Everyone will know," Bella hissed, scrambling off of him as she adjusted her bikini, both the top and the bottom. "We gotta hurry!"

"Girl, they already know," Edward said, rubbing his belly contentedly as he following her out of the water. "Besides, what do you think they've all been doing?"

Bella blinked, wrapping her towel around her. Realization dawned on her as she gaped at Edward, who smirked back at her.

"Rose and Em have been in the 'bathroom' a long time, don't you think?" he asked, using air quotes. "And Jasper doesn't give two craps about the beach at night."

"But you do," Bella cooed, remembering the night Edward had entertained her with tales of constellations.

"I do, for sure."

They kissed again as the sweet, salty air blew languidly by.

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

"Take me home."

"Thought I just did." He winked pervily.

Bella smacked his chest, charmed by his wit. "If you play your cards right I'll let you take me home again once you take me home."

"You'll be the death of me," he moaned, smiling down at her, his eyes twinkling like the starry emerald orbs they were. Totally astronomic.

"Only the little death," Bella murmured, grabbing his hand. "Le petit mort."

Edward frowned, because he didn't speak French and he'd only been kidding about dying, but Bella was hot so he followed her back in to the house anyway.

So much for cleaning the Jacuzzi.

* * *

The next few weeks breezed by.

Bella was becoming more and more proficient at waitressing; she managed to keep her drinks upright.

Well, unless the Arthurs came in. They'd discovered that the girls were working at the Sea Shack and now made every effort to lunch there on a regular basis. Bella didn't want to be rude, but she couldn't help it if she was clumsier around them than other patrons.

Meanwhile, Rose was learning the art of bartending. She'd always loved making the fruit n' frothys anyway, so this was a natural progression. Maggie, the bartender, loved teaching Rose her craft. Bella thought secretly it was because Rose looked like a young Maggie, right down to the huge but perky boobs and blonde hair.

Alice continued to do rake in the tips, as well. She really wanted to find a place in town where she could showcase her pole dancing talents, but Rose and Bella (and Aunt Claire, when asked if she would allow it at the Sea Shack) advised her to keep it under wraps. Or at least, at the house where only Jasper, Emmett and Edward would see. Other people mightn't understand that Alice did it for the art, not money.

Or to be an exhibitionist. That was Rosie's thing.

On a busy Thursday afternoon, right in the middle of the Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour, Bella ran in to Jessica, who was fuming and red faced as she stalked out of the supply room.

"Jess? What happened?"

"That, that HO is what happened!" Jessica cried, pointing.

Emerging from the room was a tall blonde, drenched in what looked like salad dressing and beer, followed by…

"Edward?" Bella asked, looking from him to the blonde.

"Bella, this is so not what it looks like," he said quickly, holding his hands out as he came to her.

Bella backed away slowly. "What does it look like?"

"She was trying to get her hand down his pants," Jessica snarled. "All she's gonna do is play him and leave him like she did before."

Bella was confused, and a little sick.

"Oh, shove it, Jessica," the blonde snapped.

"You shove it, Tanya!" Jessica yelled.

"Tanya?" Bella whispered.

"Bella!" Edward begged.

"Edward," sniffled Bella.

"Nothing happened, I swear," said Edward. "Please."

Bella wanted to believe him, but this looked bad. She turned to Jessica. "Tell the truth. What did you see?"

* * *

_nope, still not angsty so don't freak out._


	55. Petty

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin'**_

_**prompt - petty**_

* * *

Jess glanced at Edward and then grabbed Bella's arm, dragging her out to the alley in the back.

"Okay. So. I know it looks pretty bad, but I really don't think Edward was doing anything."

Bella folded her arms. "But why were they back there? Why – "

"Tanya used to work here," Jessica interrupted. "Before she left. So she knows everyone and all the little spots and things. Edward…well…the only reason he was even in the supply room was because it got super busy and he and Jasper were helping me bring out a couple of cases of that new beer we just started serving. You know the McApples? From that micro-brewery down the street? Ohmygod did you see the guy who delivered it yesterday? He had a tattoo of a – "

"So they were helping you guys carry beer," Bella said flatly, frowning.

"Yeah. I guess Tanya saw him go in there and she followed him…she's cray-cray, yo. To the max."

"But why the hell did she have her hand down his pants?" Bella shrieked.

Edward must've been eavesdropping, because right then he stepped out in to the alley, his hands still out like he was dealing with a skittish animal.

Bella gave him a dirty look and turned back to Jess.

"Probably because she could," Jess said, shrugging. "I mean, he had a case of beer in his arms, ya know?" She snapped her gum. "It's all good; I got her with the dressing and beer. Now she smells the same way she acts."

Bella wasn't fully sure what that meant, but whatever. "Well… thanks, Jess."

"Oh, it's totes fine. I hate her anyway." Jess started making her way back inside. "And she shouldn't have been back there in the first place."

Now that they were alone, Edward grabbed Bella's hand. "I'm really sorry you had to see that, baby."

"Don't baby me," Bella sniffed. She didn't take her hand back, though.

"I don't even know why she's back in town…she doesn't live here. I mean, I turn around and she's like right there! Jess had only been gone for a second."

Bella sighed heavily, the adrenaline slowly ebbing out of her body. Secretly, she knew that Edward had likely been ambushed – just like he and Jess said –but it had still hurt to see him with another girl. Especially when that girl was the ex he had been so upset about at one point.

"Do you hate me?" Edward asked mournfully, tugging at his hair.

"No," Bella said quietly, leaning against the wall.

A poignant wave of rotting shellfish swooned past them from the dumpsters.

"Wanna get out of here?" Edward asked. He was done for the day, and he'd actually stopped by the Sea Shack to see if Bella could get off early, too. There was a quiet little beach he'd wanted to take her to, but now he felt like his super romantic plans had been squashed by that petty bitch Tanya.

"I don't know if I can," Bella said. "It's pretty busy right now. Maybe in a little while?"

"I can wait," he said.

"Damn right you'll wait," she snapped. "You might get attacked by another ex girlfriend if you leave." She pushed off the wall and marched back inside, leaving Edward to flounder after her.

* * *

Once the lunch time rush had passed, Rose, Alice and Jess gave Bella the go-ahead to leave early. She would have only had a couple of hours left anyway; a fresh set of servers came in to handle the dinner crowd around three.

Bella was still feeling a little wounded, but she figured she might as well get over it. It wasn't Edward's fault he was so cute, or that he had a tawdry past littered with trashy exes. Well, maybe the second one was his fault, but that was neither here nor there.

Also, Bella hated that expression; if something was neither here nor there then where the hell was it?

Edward was beginning to get annoyed. He knew his woman had every right to be pissed but today's mess up hadn't even been his fault. If there was gonna be drama, he'd just avoid the stupid Sea Shack altogether.

No, he wouldn't. They had the best shrimp in Destin.

"Where're we going?" Bella asked softly, finally breaking the silence.

"This little beach I think you'll like. It's pretty deserted, so we'll be alone."

A smidge of horniness shot through Bella, threatening to annihilate all traces of residual pissyness.

"Oh, really?"

Edward recognized the husky timbre of Bella's voice. "Really," he said, resting his hand on her naked knee. He loved when she wore little jean skirts to work.

After driving for a while, they finally made it to the special beach. Just as Edward had said, it was completely quiet, with not a soul in sight save a couple of pelicans down the shore.

"This is nice," Bella said, carrying her shoes in her hand. "But you know I have nothing to swim in."

"Neither do I," Edward said, halting so he could drop trou right where he stood. "_Coming_?"

_Hopefully_, thought Bella. She smirked and started to get naked, enjoying Edward's striptease as much as he was enjoying hers.

They joined hands and frolicked down to the water's edge. The water was calm and tepid, having been warmed by the blazing sun all day long.

Once in, Edward wrapped Bella around him, loving the feel of her toasty goodness all up on his junk.

"Damn, girl. You feel good," he groaned, holding her close.

"Promise me you'll never cheat," Bella whispered, trying not to rock against Edward's suddenly hard boy parts.

"Promise," he said. "And promise you'll never dump me for no reason."

"Promise."

They sealed their commitment with a passionate kiss as the pelicans, fish, and even a wild boar off in the cut, watched on.

* * *

_this has been written and ready since about 2pm. gotta love ffnet's shenanigans._


	56. Crazy

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authoriza tion._

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Countdown**_

_**prompts - crazy, lazy, hazy**_

* * *

Despite the crazy traffic, we make it home with time to spare before our dinner reservations. Initially, I hadn't been too sure my parents would want to go out the same day they arrived, but Edward insisted we show them a good time.

And besides, my mother loves a good restaurant experience.

We don't go to the sushi place that hosted our first date (my Dad hates sushi, so that might have to be a '_me and Mom'_ deal), but we do go to another favorite. I enjoy cooking, and I love to do it for someone like Edward who appreciates it, but _he_ likes to show his appreciation for me by taking me out. I can't argue with this. As a result, we've amassed quite the list of favorites, sprinkled all around the city.

Tonight it's a steakhouse, perfect for my meat n' potatoes father.

He glances around in approval as we're seated.

"This is nice," he says, nodding.

"It is. And the food's perfect; made to order," I assure him. I love the filet mignon with goat cheese, but it's the desserts that really light my fire.

After a round of drinks and light chatter, my father clears his throat.

I look nervously at Edward, who grabs my hand underneath the table and pulls it on to his lap.

"Well, Edward, I know we've already met a couple of times before but let me just say I'm pretty pleased with who Bella's chosen to spend her life with."

My heart thumps erratically; this is off to a good start. Then again, he could be employing the "sandwich method". _Oh, jeez…_

"Thanks, Charlie. I feel pretty good about that myself," Edward says, smiling.

My mother smiles at me from across the table. I take this as a good sign.

"You're both adults, so I'm not going to go in to long winded requests over how I wish you'd done things…" He pauses and takes a long pull of beer from his frosted stein. "But… I… I want to let you know I'm happy for you. We both are. It's a good thing, I think."

I blink, my eyes now hazy with hints of tears. My daddy's always been an excellent judge of character, shrewd and able to cut through the most subtle BS, so it means a lot for him to take to Edward this way. I mean, I saw it when we visited them, but he's obviously thought about it a lot. I know it bothers him that we're living together, but he seems to be determined to look past it.

I appreciate that, especially because his feelings on it so closely mirror my own, and I can understand his ambivalence. Like him though, I know that what Edward and I have is a _very good thing_, indeed.

"Thanks, Daddy," I whisper, grabbing at my own beer. Normally I have wine with my steak, but tonight felt like a beer night. The brew here is as varied and quality as the wine, anyway.

Charlie nods gruffly, which I suspect means he might be feeling a bit of a lump in his throat but would rather die than show it. Mom grins, patting his shoulder; she knows it, too.

"Well, cheers," she says, lifting her glass. "To the upcoming wedding, your beautiful home, and to this week. I can't wait to see what you two do for fun around here."

We toast right in time for the main course to be served.

* * *

Much later, I sink in to bed. I'm still a little too full from dinner, lazy from the heavy food, generous amounts of beer, and Death by Chocolate cake, which came a little too close to fulfilling its namesake tonight. Ugh.

I roll over to face Edward, who's sitting up, reading through a stack of paperwork he brought home from the office.

"Are you coming to bed anytime soon?"

He reaches over absently, his hand grazing my arm. "I am in bed…"

"To sleep, I mean."

"Soon." He glances down at me. "Promise."

"Okay." I yawn and shift on to my back. "Tonight went so well…"

"Mm."

He's busy, so I don't want to bother him, and even though I don't quite mean to, I fall asleep.

When I wake up later on, the lights are out. I get up to use the bathroom and then tiptoe back to bed, wondering what time Edward finally went to sleep.

He reaches for me as soon as I lay down, startling me.

"Hey," I whisper. "I didn't know you were up."

He pulls me closer, wrapping his arm around me. Something in his touch feels off, needy somehow.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

He nods, watching me in the low light. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"What your dad said." He swallows. "I want to be good for you, Bella. I want to be worthy of your decision and of his trust…"

"You are." I kiss his chin, his cheek. "You are. I love you."

"I love you too. I just – "

"You're just over thinking again," I say, squeezing him tight.

"Maybe."

"Mhm."

He laughs, making the bed shake a little. "Okay, having your dad here gives me performance anxiety. I really want this to work. I know it is, but, you know."

"Yeah, I know." I kiss him, on the mouth this time. "And I love that you care so much. That's exactly why I know we'll be fine. Because it matters."

He kisses me this time, and there are no more words.


	57. Out of Sight

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning (one more chapter after this)**_

_**prompt - "out of sight, out of mind"**_

* * *

Bella woke up smiling.

Maybe she'd been dreaming about sweet things, or maybe it was that Edward was the first thing she'd thought about upon waking. Either way, she felt light and airy and just a little giddy about the night before.

The thought of it actually made Bella snuggle down in to her sheets, not wanting to deal with reality just yet… although, reality was looking pretty amazing at the moment.

She'd stayed late at Edward's the night before, watching TV, polishing off chocolate and, yeah – kissing. Lots of kissing.

She'd had no intention of crossing the line when she'd gone over there, and maybe Edward hadn't either. But there was something different about the mood, something more intimate. And not physically intimate either – emotionally.

Bella had never felt as close to Edward as she did now. Coupled with the physical attraction she'd always, _always_ felt for him, she supposed that things had come to a head, almost like a point of no return. She could tell he felt it too, in the way he either looked at her too long or couldn't look her in the eye at all, like things were needy and innocent and awkward and carnal, all at the same time.

But he'd still asked, and she'd still accepted.

And accepted, and accepted.

Her phone vibrated from somewhere within the sheets.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

Bella's heart skipped a beat. "Hey… I was just thinking about you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I doubt that." He chuckled. "Out of sight, out of mind…"

"If that were true, you wouldn't be calling me right now," Bella reminded him.

"Okay, you got me."

"I did."

"You did."

Bella beamed at the absurdness of their banter. It had never been quite like this. There had been a time when he'd teased her, but it was usually leading somewhere, like another hook up. This was different, nice.

"So, what are you up to, today?" she asked.

"Gotta go down to the office for a couple of hours, nothing major. What about you?"

"I don't have anything to do," Bella yawned. "And it's awesome. I can't remember the last time I could lay in bed all day."

"Lucky you. Hopefully that'll be me once we get these proposals through."

"Hopefully. You deserve it." And he did. Few people their age worked as hard as Edward did.

"Anyway, I gotta head out soon. I just wanted to…check in with you. See how you were."

"I'm glad you did," she admitted. "Can I see you later?"

"Definitely. I'll give you a call on my way back."

"Sounds good. Bye…"

"Bye."

Edward tossed his phone on to the passenger seat. He'd slept well the night before, better than he had in weeks. It was a couple of things, really: certain projects at work reaching fruition, having the opportunity to speak with his father, and, of course, Bella. Even if nothing else was going well, she'd be reason enough to feel okay.

He was still a little surprised they'd finally gotten physical again, but he supposed it had only been a matter of time. He wanted her to trust him the way he trusted her, and it seemed like that was now the case.

After spending time at the office, Edward locked up and made a beeline for Bella's. He's hardly been able to concentrate, knowing he was going to be seeing her soon.

She answered the door, smiling shyly. "That was quick."

He shrugged. "I'd rather be here."

Bella led him to the kitchen. "Beer?"

"It's five o'clock somewhere; why not?"

She rolled her eyes, laughing a little. "Yeah, yeah."

Before she could hand him the bottle he'd pulled her in to his arms.

"I really, really hope you don't mind this, because now that I know what it's like to kiss you I want to keep doing it." He kissed her, pushing her lips apart with his.

Bella slipped her arms around him. He was less tentative than he'd been the night before; she liked it.

"You knew what it was like to kiss me," she said, going in for another.

"Yeah, but…" He kissed her twice more. "It's different now. I feel it now."


	58. Float

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal beachin**_

_**prompt - float**_

* * *

Edward had to pull away. He was getting excited in ways that were starting to frustrate him.

He liked being with Bella, physically but also for other reasons, too. She was a smart, funny girl. He liked how she spazzed out over the randomest things and how she made him feel crazy, as well.

But he was horny, dammit. A young, hot blooded, American male who knew how good the nookie could be; only he wasn't allowed to have it just yet.

"Edward?" Bella asked. She was laying back, her legs wrapped around Edward's waist, her hair drifting around her in the water like a mermaid's. "What's wrong?" She frowned, noticing that he was trying to peel her off of him.

"Nothing."

"It's never nothing."

"When _you_ say 'nothing' I let _you_ get away with it," Edward sighed. He should have just stayed quiet and let her float; now he was going to have to get in to it.

And it had been such a nice day, too.

Bella bit her lip and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. Jeez, he was pretty, especially in the sunlight when his eyes were green as emeralds and his hair a magnificent tumble of bronze and auburn and copper and –

"–are you even listening?" Edward was saying.

Bella blinked. "No. Sorry. I was distracted by your hotness."

"See, that's the problem. I'm hot, you're hot, but we keep having to put the brakes on. I want you, girl. I want you bad. And I'm trying to be patient because you deserve, like, romance and a nice guy and stuff and because I really care about you but dang. I beat off more than I ever have in my life because of you."

"Really?" she asked, warmed by his sweet admissions. She knew he wanted her in that way, but to hear him express himself so fervently really lit her fire. "Well… I want you too, Edward. So much."

Edward nodded, feeling douchey now that he'd blabbed his feelings.

"In fact, I want you so much that I don't want to wait anymore," she continued, stroking her knuckles against the bulge in his pants.

"What are you saying?" Edward groaned, kissing Bella's neck. "We can't do it here, baby…"

"No, but we can do it tonight. At that little hotel on the beach…you know the one…with the fountain?"

"Yes. Yes!"

"Yeah? Oh, good."

He nodded, eyes closed. "Yes. And just – keep on rubbing…just like that…"

* * *

Later on, Alice and Rose helped Bella dress in her sweetest, sexiest dress for her date with Edward. This was the big night, and it was paramount she look the part.

Then Alice did Bella's hair while Rose gave her a mini pedicure. She'd offered to wax her…down there…but Bella wasn't comfortable with having Rose so close to her privates. She'd opted to shave by herself instead.

When Edward came to pick Bella up, he was stunned at how beautiful she looked, like a glimmering angel in the twilight. It was just glittery body butter, but he didn't have to know.

"Our reservations are at seven thirty," Edward said softly, taking Bella's hand as they walked to his car.

"Okay," Bella said shyly.

They rode part of the way in silence, Edward nervously drumming his hands on the steering wheel while Bella twisted her hands in her lap.

"I can't even tell you how gorgeous you look," he blurted out eventually.

"Th-thank you," Bella whispered, letting out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. It was a good thing, too, because she'd become light headed and that was probably why. "You look fantasmic, too."

"Yeah?"

"Totally."

Edward smirked and grabbed her hand. Oh yeah. He was gonna give it to her tonight, all right.

Dinner went smoothly, especially after they'd loosened up enough to talk the way they usually did. After sharing a chocolate mousse – Bella knew secretly that chocolate was an aphrodisiac –they headed back to the car.

Minutes later they pulled in to the hotel's parking lot. Edward came around Bella's side to open her door, and he escorted her inside.

The room was pretty, covered in candles.

"Wow…when did you do all this?" asked Bella, putting her bag down on the bed.

"Right before I picked you up," Edward said proudly, kicking his shoes off.

"You're lucky a fire didn't start," she mused, wondering just how many candles were actually burning.

"Oh… yeah," he said sheepishly. He hadn't thought of that. All he'd wanted was to create a romantic impression.

"I love it, though," Bella breathed, walking barefoot to Edward. "And… I love you."

He slid his arms around her. "I love you, too, baby. Like a fat kid loves cake."

And that was when Bella knew she'd be Edward's forever.

"You ready to do this?" she asked, backing away so she could lie in bed.

"Girl, I was born ready."


	59. Wired

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal Beachin**_

_**prompts - wired, tired, fired**_

* * *

Edward and Bella fell in to bed, coming together like the most powerful magnets ever. They rolled a couple of times for good measure, stopping just at the edge of the mattress.

Bella ended up on top. She gazed down at Edward, whose hair created a devilish halo around his sweet lil' angel face. Man, she was glad she hadn't given it up to that Alec guy behind the gym last semester. "I want you to give it to me good," she said, dropping down to kiss his nose. "I've waited a long time for the right guy, and I know you're it for me."

Edward's heart felt like it might pound right out of his chest; this girl got him so fired up. "I know I'm it, Bella. And you're it for me… I've never felt this way for anyone before you. Ever."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

And Bella knew he was telling the truth. She could tell by the twinkle in his eye.

Well, maybe that was the candlelight, but whatever.

Edward rolled them over so that he was on top. He knelt and reached down to remove Bella's dress, which was conveniently held together on top by two little bows on the shoulders. One tug on either side released the fabric, revealing her perfect peaches n' cream skin.

"Unf," he moaned, touching the boobies he loved best. "I love your mounds…"

"Mm," Bella moaned back. "Mounds? Like the candy bar?"

"More than the candy bar," Edward said, nuzzling his face between Bella's breasts. "Sweeter."

He kept on nipping and sucking at her nipples until she was wired so tight she thought she might snap, but Edward had bedroom mad skillz so he knew just when to stop teasing. He sat up, pulled her dress the rest of the way off, and then removed his own clothing, leaving them both in just their undies.

Several of the candles had burned down to nubs by this point, and they were starting to smell less fragranced and more like…smoke.

"Ugh," Bella coughed, waving her hand. "Maybe we should blow a couple of these out."

Edward tried not to get caught on thoughts of Bella blowing anything. "Uh, yeah, lemme just… take care of that…" He ran around the room, peeling off his socks and blowing out candles until there were just two or three left.

Bella shivered in excitement, watching as Edward stripped down to his birthday suit. O-M-G, he was well endowed for sure. Not that she had a lot of experience, but she wasn't a total prude. She'd felt up on a couple of one eyed willies in her years, just not to the point where she'd gone all the way.

"Like what you see?" Edward asked, putting his hands on his hips as his wee-wee jutted out in front of him.

"Yeah, it's nice."

"Nice? I'll show you nice." Edward yanked Bella's "Friday" panties off, pulled her hips to the edge of the bed, and dropped to his knees. Before she could react, he had his face buried right where they both re-he-heally wanted it.

Dang, that felt good.

Being virginal and very sensitive, it didn't take long for Bella to come and push Edward's face away.

"Wow," she breathed, shaking. It was a good thing she was laying down, otherwise she might have collapsed.

"Yeah?" Edward panted, wiping his mouth. Bella tasted incredible, like watermelon jolly ranchers. He coulda gone down all night, only his tongue probably would've gotten tired…

"Edward?" Bella asked shyly, closing her legs. "Are we gonna…?"

"Yeah, girl, we're gonna," he said, grabbing a condom from his wallet. He slapped it on, maneuvered Bella to the center of the bed, and got between her legs.

"Look…I've never taken anyone's virginity before," he said, hit with the magnitude of the situation. "If it hurts, or you change your mind, just like…shove me off or something. 'Cause I don't want you to regret this. Or to hate me."

"I could never," Bella cooed, kissing his face. "Just go slow, 'kay?"

"'Kay."

And slow he went, pushing and pausing and pushing.

"Are you in?" Bella grimaced after a few minutes.

"Yeah, I'm in –can't you feel it?" Edward panted.

"I do feel it, but it doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would," Bella whispered. Secretly, she thought it felt pretty darn great.

"In that case…" Edward picked up the pace, and amazingly, Bella came – twice. "Damn, girl! That was fast!"

"It's just so wonderful!" Bella cried wantonly, shoving her heels into Edward's butt. "Do it more!"

And they did – all night, stopping only to pee and get snacks from the vending machine outside.

"Edward?" The sun was beginning to rise; the light had started filtering around the curtains.

"Mmmff…" His face was buried in a pillow.

"What're we gonna do when we go back home?"

"To…the west coast?"

"Yeah."

Edward threw his arm around Bella and tugged her closer. "We'll make it work. We have to."

"Okay."

"You believe me, right?" he asked, kissing her.

Bella nodded, tossing her leg over Edward's hip. And hot damn, he was hard again.


	60. Conform

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - beginning (last chapter)**_

_**prompt - conform**_

* * *

Bella was enchanted by this new, playful Edward.

She'd never have known he was hiding beneath the more dour version of himself she'd once been so acquainted with.

"What?" he asked, biting at her ear like a rascally puppy.

Bella smiled down at him, leaning away from the answering grin on his face. "You."

"What about me?"

"You're better now…lighter." She let him tug her closer. "More fun."

"I wasn't fun before?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "You were fun till you weren't, and then you were definitely un-fun."

"Sorry," he murmured, back at her ear.

She cringed away from the tickly arousal he was creating in her and slipped her arms around him, angling so that she was underneath him on the couch, their unspoken place of safe physical contact.

Things got a little hot and heavy here, but they never went to the next level.

Neither Bella nor Edward had really discussed it, because really, there was no need. As is the general case with relationships, things were progressing naturally; there wasn't any need to conform to a time table of sorts. Bella wanted Edward and she could tell he most definitely wanted her, but she figured that when the moment arose, they'd both know.

For now, it was all about frolicsome kissing and silly texts between classes and shifts at works and long walks and midnight chats by telephone.

"I'm glad you're happy now," Bella whispered, rubbing her thumb over Edward's chin.

He sobered slightly, nodding. "Me too. I… spoke to my father again, you know."

"You did?" Bella sat up, a little surprised.

"His health isn't improving or anything; if anything it's worse, but he said he just wanted to see how I was doing since…my visit."

Bella nodded, withdrawing her hand and waiting for him to continue. It was hard not to touch him when he was vulnerable like this, difficult to keep her hands form caressing and loving him, but she wanted him to be able to express himself without distraction.

"It'll never be perfect, I now that," he said, his eyes flickering over her face. "But, it's good. I don't know. I guess I never thought I'd speak to him again, and then seeing him and now talking to him… I don't know. It's okay. It still hurts, but I'm not really mad anymore, you know?"

Bella bit her lip, nodding. "It helps when the other person reaches out. It fills that space."

"Yeah."

They sat quietly for a moment, and then Edward leaned down and kissed Bella again, holding her body close to his. "Thanks for not giving up on me."

"I almost did."

"I know."

"But I couldn't, I guess. Not when you actually started to try."

"You're my best friend."

Bella's vision blurred and she looked down, slightly embarrassed by her reaction. Edward kissed her eyelids, her cheeks.

"You're mine, too," she whispered, running her fingers over the hair on the nape of his neck.

"I'd like to fill your space," he said, nibbling at her ear again.

Bella snorted at how quickly Edward transitioned from sweet to naughty. "I bet."

He grinned, moving down to her neck. Bella squirmed beneath him, getting –admittedly – turned on. "Hey…"

But he just covered her mouth with his, eating her words before she could utter them.

* * *

They were out with friends, chatting over drinks at restaurant near campus.

Every once in a while her hand squeezed his, or his fingers drummed a little tempo on her knee, and he knew, and she knew, and they shared the secret gladness.

Bella knew their friends could sense the changes in Edward, and in the way the he interacted with her. Gone was the reticence of last year, the subtle tension, the abrupt departures Edward had been known for. Only people who knew him well could see that he wasn't as moody as he' once been; it was in the small things, the vibe, the way he smiled a little more, relaxed.

It was in the ownership he had over Bella, and that she had over him, a sweet comfortable thing, not possessive, just tangible and true.

Later, in the cool dark of his bedroom, hands and mouths found warm skin and pulses.

Edward kissed Bella until her lips were as flushed as her cheeks, and then he kissed her some more. She reveled in it, in his attention.

She pulled him up to sitting and took off his shirt. He had a little bit of a farmer tan… it had been a long time since she'd seen this much of him. He slid off her tank top and laid her back down, kissing away her bra and her jeans, noting with a pang of anticipation the tan lines running across her collar bone.

"When do you go to the beach?" he asked, almost accusingly, running his finger over her chest.

Bella glanced down at her breasts, paler than the rest of her upper body. "I don't… Alice and I tan in the backyard."

"Mm." He stood up and unzipped his jeans, taking his boxers right off with them.

Bella's heart kicked it on to overdrive. She'd slept with Edward, but it had been months and months, nearly a year, and usually after a night of half conversation and alcohol.

This was different. It was what she'd yearned for, even back in the days when she'd been able to convince herself that she didn't care.

But she did care, and she always had.

And when he pushed his way inside her, she felt it even more, her caring and his caring.

"Filling up my space," she whisper-giggled, half giddy with love and how good Edward felt.

"You fill up mine, so…" He pulled back, mouth crooked in a half grin. "A favor for a favor."

He thrust a little harder, making Bella groan and pull her fingers through his hair.

"I missed you," he said.

"I missed you, too."

"It's better this time," he said, tucking her leg high around his waist.

He was talking about the sex, but he was talking about _them_, too.

"Much," Bella said, holding him closer.

And it was.


	61. Muse

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_not beta'd_

**_storyline - Countdown_**

**_prompt - muse, fuse_**

* * *

When Edward first proposed, it felt like we had all the time in the world to prepare.

Now that the date is almost here, I'm slightly panicky. We've gotten a lot of things done, but I feel like there's still so much more, like 'm forever playing catch-up. Luckily my mother, Alice, and Esme – and even Rose, when she can be finagled –are always around to help, taking over certain wedding tasks and preparations. Mom does all she can do from out of state while the other women in my life help me here.

And then there's Edward, my nuptial muse, the one who calms my heart and then sets it racing again for completely different reasons. He's mellow about the whole thing, but I can tell he's looking forward to it just as much as I am. He's good at figuring out the technical things, the practical.

Which is good, because somebody needs to bring to life the ideas floating through my brain.

* * *

When the day finally comes, we're separated by friends and family to get ready.

I have my ladies in waiting assist me, and I can only assume his friends are doing the same for him. After downing two glasses of champagne, courtesy of my mother, I take a look in the mirror.

I almost don't recognize myself, as glammed up and excited as I am. There's love in my eyes, I guess, and anticipation, burning so bright. This is it: the moment that will forever fuse me with this man that I've chosen who has chosen me.

My heart pounds inside my chest.

When my father begins to walk me down the aisle, and I make eye contact with Edward, all I see is the night we met, the determined stride that brought him from across a crowded room to just inches away from my mouth.

He smiles when we meet at the altar.

"I'm glad you're here."

I blink, and yeah… it's New Years all over again.

Nodding, I smile and take his hand."I'm glad you're here."

* * *

Luckily the weather has held up for our reception, although if the silver clouds dancing around the horizon are any indication, we're celebrating on borrowed time. I'm barefoot but still clad in my dress; it's so beautiful the little girl in me wants never to take it off.

Beside the cake table there's an ice cream social; at least twenty pretty silver dishes of all sizes featuring ice cream and toppings and other sugary delights.

I wanted this day to feel intimate, even with the large guest list, and so far it has. Everywhere I look people I have known in my life, or those acquainted with Edward, mill about, plates or glasses in their hands, many of them barefoot like me as they navigate the soft, green grass.

Edward passes his hand over my back, his fingers tickling my skin. "It's perfect, isn't it?"

"It is," I agree, balancing my plate of cake on my lap. It's the first time I've sat in hours, the first time Edward and I have had a moment to ourselves. "I almost don't want it to end." I wiggle my toes in the grass and watch the storm drift closer, rustling the trees.

"I'm exhausted," he admits, pulling me on to his lap.

"Thank you," I whisper, putting the plate down and holding him instead, content to just breathe him in.

We sit that way while our guests drift pass with kisses and well wishes and goodbyes. In the end it is just the people we're closest to who see us off, and not a moment too soon: rain is starting to sprinkle down.

We drive to our hotel for the evening, where we'll stay till the morning, when we'll drive to the airport and board a plane to Italy. I'm desperately excited to be going, but especially because it's going to be ten days just Edward and me. No jobs to worry about; just us.

"We have a good story," he says, loosening his tie in the mirror, gazing at my reflection.

I'm massaging my feet on the bed. "Definitely a good story. Something to write home about."

He turns to me, unbuttoning his pants. In the bathroom off the main suite, a tub fills with hot water and bubbles. "Something to tell the kids about."

We've discussed options, and adoption seems to be the thing we agree on most, even though not for another few years. But I like knowing we've got it to look forward to, and that it never became this insurmountable chasm between us.

It's one of the reasons I know we were meant to be, among others.

I start to unzip my dress, and then turn around so he can help me finish.

"I'm so glad you found me," I yawn, naked and his.

"Me too." He leads me to the tub, and we get inside. "I love you."

"I love you too."


	62. Duty

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Crystal beachin' (last chapter to this epic, sweeping saga tomorrow)**_

_**prompt - duty**_

* * *

"Bella…Bella!"

Bella blinked and looked up, coming face to face with a very chagrined Rose. "What's up?"

Rose flipped her hair back. "What's up? Seriously? You're acting stoned; only, you don't smoke, so… yeah." She was about to say more, but then she realized she recognized the goofy, spaced out expression on her girl's face. In fact, she knew it well. Bella had been the recipient of good loving for the past two weeks, and it showed. She glowed. "Aw, B. You're still cock-whipped, aren't you?" she cooed.

Bella wrinkled her nose. "That makes no sense."

"You know, like pussy wh-"

"Yeah, I get it. But it's still dumb." Bella smiled as she said it, though. She looked down at the condiment station she was supposed to be refilling. She and Rose were on opening shift, and this was the last duty she needed to perform before the restaurant opened.

"What's dumb is that you've been filling the same bottle of ketchup for like, an hour."

Bella swatted a rag at Rose's butt and got back to work, determined to finish and not be mentally carried away by visions of Edward...

...Edward in the middle of the night, sleeping. Edward in the shower, showering. Edward feeding her grapes. Edward with a milk mustache. Edward's precious peen. Edward –

"Bella!"

"Ack, okay, sorry! Sorry." Bella squirted ketchup with renewed gusto.

Edward and the boys came in for lunch right as Rose and Bella were completing their shift later that day.

"Care to join us?" Jasper asked, patting the seat beside him. Emmett rolled his eyes and made Jasper switch places so he could sit beside his Rose. "Alice has the next shift, huh?"

"Yeah. She's in the back, clocking in," said Bella, smiling coyly at Edward.

He grinned back, sliding his hand over her bare thigh as she sat beside him. "How was your day?"

"Good. How was yours?"

"Good. You hungry?"

"Always," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Stop…" Bella swatted at her boyfriend, secretly wanting him never, ever, ever to stop.

Ever.

Alice bopped out seconds later and made a beeline for the table. "Hey guys. What's it gonna be today?"

After lunch, the boys returned to the jobsite they were currently working on and Bella and Alice returned home. They tanned by the pool with a couple of Rose's famous pina coladas, chatting and reading Cosmopolitan's latest: "_1,304 Secret Sex Tips You Never Knew You Never Knew_."

"Mm, this one's good," Rose said, sitting up. "Says to massage his weenie with your feet."

Bella made a face. "Ew."

"Yeah, that is kind of ew." Rose chewed her maraschino cherry thoughtfully. "Okay, this one says to dribble honey down in to –"

"That stuff all sounds really contrived," Bella complained. "Like, who makes it up? I feel like I could write one of these articles."

"You probably could," snorted Rose. "Sucking mints before giving a BJ? Blindfolding him and making him guess what body part he's touching? It's like kid's party games, but pervy."

"What kind of kid's parties did you go to?" teased Bella, easing in to the pool.

Secretly, though, the mints-before-BJ idea was sort of appealing to her. She'd have to keep that one in mind.

* * *

Edward flailed, nearly falling off the bed.

"Wow...wow…wow… what was that?"

"Orbitz gum," Bella said. "I was gonna use Altoids but I didn't want to, like, over do it."

"No. That was perfect," he agreed, panting as he calmed down.

"Good." She grinned and straightened up, wiping her mouth.

"C'mere."

Bella lay beside Edward, and before long, they were engaged in another love-a-thon.

Afterwards, during cuddling, Edward turned to his Bella. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and he didn't think he'd be able to stay away from her when it was time to return home. They'd been doing a lot of brainstorming, but coming up with a solution to their long distance debacle was difficult.

"I'm gonna miss you," he whispered, looking up from beneath his lashes.

Bella's heart raced when he did that; her lashes just went up went she tried to peek from beneath them. Somehow, though, Edward could do it. He was a special breed.

"I'm gonna miss you too," she whispered back, trying not to cry.

"I get so weak in the knees I can hardly speak," Edward said soulfully, cupping Bella's sweet cheeks.

"We'll figure something out," she breathed. "We must."

Meanwhile, there were only a few weeks left, and they were determined to make the most of them.


	63. Blend

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization. _

_not beta'd_

_**storyline - Heart/Crystal beachin' (final chapter)**_

_**prompt - blend**_

* * *

The rest of the summer was a whirlwind of good times. Between working shifts at the Seashack, partying with the gang, and spending quality time with Edward, Bella rarely had a minute to herself.

Not that she wanted one. She'd have plenty of down time when she got back home, even if she did start school at UW a mere two weeks after.

The day that Bella and the girls flew back, Edward stayed with his girl so that they could watch the sun rise together. They'd gone skinny dipping the night before, frolicking in the starry surf only to come to shore and make love on the damp, squeaky sand. Bella wished she could bottle up the sand and bring it home. Maybe bottle Edward up and bring him home, too.

Bella had never known how perfect life could be until she met Edward. He sat beside her as the sun rose over the horizon, watching the deep oranges and yellows blend with the fading grey of dawn.

"This has been the perfect summer," sighed Bella, swallowing back the lump in her throat.

"Don't sound like you're saying goodbye," Edward said, squeezing her hand. "You know I'll be up there every chance I get, right?"

Bella nodded. "And I'll come see you in between."

Edward leaned closer, and soon they were involved in a heavy duty lip lock.

Parting is such sweet sorrow, yo.

* * *

_-Two weeks later-_

* * *

Bella sighed, putting her cell phone down. Edward's number had gone straight to voicemail; it had been doing that all day.

"You okay, babe?" Rose asked, breezing by. She, Alice and Bella were brand new roommates with another friend of theirs, Charlotte. They'd moved in the day before and had spent the majority of the time since settling in and putting things away.

"Yeah, I'm good…"

"Still not picking up?" Alice paused, her expression sympathetic. "He's probably settling in to his new place, too…"

Bella threw herself in to her tasks after that, not wanting to dwell too much on Edward, even though secretly he was never far from her thoughts.

The doorbell rang, and she wiped her hands on her overalls before going to answer it.

"That's probably the pizza," Alice called. "Hold on, lemme grab my wallet."

But it wasn't the pizza guy. Bella gasped and vaulted herself in to Edward's arms.

He chuckled, catching her and holding her tight.

"What're you doing here?" Bella asked, even more surprised when Emmett and Jasper stepped in to view. They grinned their megawatt smiles.

"Surprise, B," Emmett said. "Or should I say, neighbor?"

Bella's heart skipped a beat. She gazed at Edward as her friends came out to greet the boys. Apparently everyone had known about this – everyone but Bella.

"We transferred," Edward said, shrugging. We live a floor below you."

"Seriously?" Bella shrieked.

"Seriously, girl." Edward smirked, pushing Bella back inside. "So…show me your bedroom."

Bella smiled coyly, leading the way. "Whatcha wanna see my bedroom for?"

Edward chased her the rest of the way and slammed the door behind them, locking it.

"I need to shower!" giggled Bella. "I've been cleaning all day."

"Then let's shower together," he suggested, already peeling his clothes off. "Let me love you down."

"Oh for sure," she sighed, pressing her suddenly nude body to Edward's. "I'm so glad you came. You're my heart."

"And you're mine." Edward nodded, squeezing Bella's buns. "For serious."


End file.
